Fire Rising
by JKx12
Summary: "No! He can't let himself be killed! Let me go with him! I'll die for him!" she wept bitterly. Snape felt her words pierce his heart, reminding him of another muggle-born witch who had been willing to die to save Harry. Granger struggled, trying once more to run to the forest. Snape, torture written plainly on his face, grabbed her tightly, holding her close to his chest.
1. Chapter 1

_**Harry Potter **_**belongs entirely to JK Rowling. **

Snape fixed his eyes on the protective orb encasing Nagini as the Dark Lord paced around the room. Snape sensed the danger in his master's words, but he could not focus on reassuring him, he was remembering Dumbledore's words to him.

"There will come a time when Lord Voldemort will seem to fear for the life of his snake," he had told him. "If there comes a time when Lord Voldemort stops sending that snake forth to do his bidding, but keeps it safe beside him under magical protection, then, I think, it will be safe to tell Harry."

Snape gazed steadily at the snake, encased in its magical cage. The moment had come for Snape to inform Potter about what he had to do. Snape had to tell the boy about the part of the Dark Lord's soul that lived in his body, and that for the Dark Lord to truly die, the boy himself must allow himself to be killed. Snape still had one final task to perform for Dumbledore, but he feared that he would not have enough time.

Voldemort continued to circle Severus, talking calmly and steadily, though Severus could detect his hidden, simmering rage. He tried to respond appropriately to reassure his Lord, but at every opportunity he begged to be able to go back to the castle, to find Potter. If he was able to go back to the castle, Potter would surely hunt him down to air his grievances. Then Severus would be able to explain everything to him.

"My Lord – let me go to the boy -" Snape begged breathlessly.

But his master ignored his words.

"All this long night, when I am on the brink of victory, I have sat here, wondering, wondering, why the Elder Wand refuses to be what it ought to be, refuses to perform as legend says it must perform for its rightful owner…" the Dark Lord said, his scarlet eyes flashing dangerously. "And I think I have the answer," he said finally, with dark finality.

Snape held his breath.

"Perhaps you already know it?" his master said with cruel amusement lacing his voice. "You are a clever man, after all, Severus. You have been a good and faithful servant, and I regret what must happen."

Snape felt his heart lurch feebly. "My Lord - " he began.

"The Edler Wand cannot serve me properly, Severus, because I am not its true master. The Elder Wand belongs to the wizard who killed its last owner. You killed Albus Dumbledore. While you live, Severus, the Elder Wand cannot be truly mine."

Severus's heart sunk and he felt desperation wrack through his body. He raised his wand desperately. "My Lord!" he choked out in protest.

"It cannot be any other way. I must master the wand, Severus. Master the wand, and I master Potter at last," Voldemort said as he raised his wand and swiped through the air with the same Elder Wand with whose performance he had been speaking of being so displeased with. Snape waited for the flash of green light he knew would be coming, but it never came. For a moment, Snape believed that he had shown mercy, but then he saw Nagini's cage floating eerily towards him. Before he could think or react, the cage surrounded him, and he heard his lord speak in Parseltongue. Nagini pulled her head back sharply, and then sprang forward.

Snape lurched and cried out as the fangs sunk into his flesh. He tried desperately to push the cage off of himself, but the cage was firm and immovable. His sweaty palms slipped over the surface, and his arms grew heavy and began to shake uncontrollably as he struggled against the cage. He felt his strength steadily leave him and his knees gave out, sending him toppling to the floor. The snake finally lifted off of him and floated away. He heard the Dark Lord murmur something, but the noise seemed far away, he could not bring himself to care enough to try and discern what had been said.

He heard the distant noises of Voldemort leaving the room, and he caught a brief fuzzy image of Nagini floating behind. Though he was alone, he did not feel any sense of relief. He could feel Nagini's poison wracking through his body, setting his veins on fire, and he could feel the raging pour of blood surging out of his wounds. He knew that he would soon be dead, and Potter would never know what needed to be done. He felt desperation fill him, understanding that he had failed Dumbledore.

Suddenly the air shimmered in front of him as he saw the boy's face appear, tugging off the invisibility cloak. Potter crept closer, hovering his face a few inches above his Snapes. Potter had come to him, as if he knew that he had one last lesson, that one last encounter was necessary. His expression was strangely void of hatred, and as Snape struggled to focus through the haze, he saw that the boy looked almost concerned.

Snape tried to inhale a shaky breath and tried to speak, but he felt as if he were drowning. Struggling to inhale, he choked on his words. He grasped the front of the boy's robes and pulled him closer, grim determination settling inside him.

He understood that he did not have enough time to tell the boy all he had to tell. The boy probably wouldn't believe it even if he did. Snape felt the sense of dread when he realized what had to be done. He had planned ahead, and he had known that it was possible that he might have to take this step, but he had hoped it wouldn't be necessary. Now he knew with complete certainty that there was no other way. He tried to ignore his feelings of revulsion at the thought of willingly giving his memories to Potter's son. Instead he thought of Lily.

"Take… it. … Take … it. …" he gasped, allowing his memories to escape him. The silvery blue memories gushed out from his body. He saw the familiar bushy hair, and a flask was conjured out of mid air. The boy lifted his memories with his wand, directing it into his flask.

"Look … at … me. …" Snape whispered, trying to look into those eyes. Lily's eyes. As he gazed at them, he felt his heart sink, knowing that Lily's son was about to die, just like he was. He couldn't accept the death of the son of the woman he loved. He had promised to keep him safe. He had dedicated his life to allowing the boy a chance at life. But for the Dark Lord to die, Harry must also die.

Snape felt himself being pulled between his two intense loyalties, to Lily and to Dumbledore. Did he want the boy to live, or for the Dark Lord's reign of turmoil and brutality to end? His desperation, loyalty and love filled him as he continued to gaze into the boy's eyes, thinking of his mother.

He felt the blackness creep closer, barely able to glimpse a bright explosion of flames through the haze.

"Fawkes!" he heard the boy gasp. Snapes mind struggled to understand. He felt talons clamp onto his legs gently, and he heard a soft caw.

Snape tried to fight back against the descending darkness and see the brilliant bird perched on his legs. He fought to keep his eyes open, and he saw the familiar watery eyes of Dumbledore's phoenix gazing into his own. The phoenix let out a frail squawk, and Snape felt a sense of hope enter his soul as the darkness seemed to rescind slightly.

He saw two large rolling tears escape the phoenix's eyes, falling onto his own bloody and ravaged neck.

"What's it doing?" came Weasley's uncertain voice.

"Phoenix's tears have healing powers," Granger whispered quietly, gazing down at her old professor. "He is trying to heal him."

"Why would Fawkes heal him? Unless…" Potter trailed off and his brow furrowed. "…Unless he is still loyal to Dumbledore."

Snape gazed at him and tried to nod. His neck felt stiff and warm, but he was able to move it slightly. Potter continued to glance at him, but his expression didn't look entirely trusting.

Snape tenderly felt the skin on his neck. It was still sore, but the skin seemed smooth and a new layer of skin had grown over his puncture wounds. He felt his breath growing steadier; he felt a small amount of strength return to his body, though he still felt frail.

"Professor, can you move?" Granger asked him as she leaned closer.

"What are you doing?" Potter turned and asked her, looking frustrated and flustered. "We don't know if we can trust him. He could call out for Voldemort any minute."

"Really, Harry," she said exasperatedly, "if he were going to hand you over to Voldemort, he would have done it the second he saw you."

"We can't just take him with us, Hermione," Ron said uneasily, looking down at Snape with a look of plain distrust on his face.

"Well we can't leave him," she replied hotly, "Voldemort will come back soon and find him still alive, and it will be clear that we were here."

"Oh but it won't be obvious that we were here if he comes back and Snape is just gone," Weasley replied sarcastically. Granger frowned at him, but didn't respond. She clearly hadn't thought of that.

"Hermione, can you transfigure something to look like Snape's body?" Potter asked, seeming to have come to a conclusion.

"I can, but it won't be very convincing if Voldemort looks too closely," Granger replied quietly, already pulling out her wand.

"He won't have any reason to be suspicious. Do it," Potter ordered. He turned and faced Weasley. "She's right; we can't just leave him here. It wouldn't be right."

Weasley held up his arms in mock surrender.

"You're the boss, whatever you say," he replied.

Granger began waving her wand over a crate that was pressed against the wall. It slowly morphed into a body, gradually growing to look more and more like Snape. Snape watched her out of the corner of his eye, impressed that she was able to perform such advanced magic. When she was done, he thought it looked rather convincing, though if one looked too close it was obvious that the body was too stiff, and that the looks were not quite exact.

"That's the best I can do," she said quietly, repositioning the body to make it look more natural.

"You've done brilliantly, Hermione," Potter said, reaching out a hand and helping her stand. "Can you stand?" The boy said, turning and facing Snape once again.

Snape gazed at him and tried to push himself to his feet, staggering and collapsing to the ground once again. Granger grabbed his arms, and gave Ron a look, silently asking for his help. Ron grabbed his other arm, rather hesitantly, and wrapped it over his shoulder.

"What are we going to do with him?" Weasley asked, shifting his footing to better handle Snape's weight. "We can't keep him with us, can we?"

"We need to get back to the castle. Once we are there we can leave him with the Order," Potter said, glancing around the room uneasily, clearly worried about Voldemort returning. As if on cue, Voldemort's voice began reverberating around the room.

"You have fought…valiantly," he spoke chillingly. It sounded as though he was speaking from right next to them. His words seemed to echo and bounce throughout their bodies. Snape felt his body unwillingly begin to tremble.

"Ignore it, Harry!" Hermione whispered roughly, noticing Harry's distracted look. "We need to get back to the castle!"

"You need…to see my memories," Snape managed to choke out. The boy looked at Snape, nodding.

"Okay, let's go," he said somberly. Hermione shrugged out from under Snape's arm and Harry took her place. Snape groaned as they tried to move silently down the tunnel entrance. Hermione picked up the invisibility cloak and draped it over the four of them. Even huddled together closely, the cloak barely covered down to their waists. Fawkes flew ahead of them, acting like a guide.

Voldemort's words continued to ring through the air. "I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."

Ron and Hermione both shook their heads frantically at Harry, whose expression was distracted and concerned.

"Don't listen to him," Ron said firmly.

"It'll be all right. Let's – let's get back to the castle, if he's gone to the forest we'll need to think of a new plan…" Granger said, already trying to think of a solution. Snape did not have the heart or will to tell either of them that Potter _did _have to listen to Voldemort, and that before the hour was up Harry would have to go meet him.

They walked the rest of the way in silence, eventually leaving the tunnel and crossing the lawn, which was strewn with bodies and stone and forage. It was pitch black as they shuffled up the stone steps into the castle. Hermione tugged off the invisibility cloak and the four of them stumbled into the Great Hall.

No one looked up as they entered; everyone was mourning the bodies that were laid on the floor. The trio set Severus down on a bench, and silently floated over to where the Weasley family was huddled, as if they were in a daze. The mother was sprawled across one of the twins' bodies, and the father was tenderly stroking her hair, tears pouring down his face.

Fawkes sat himself down on the bench next to Severus, and he let loose a sad cry. Severus felt his eyes sting and he felt tears threatening to form, but he fought to keep his expression stony. He gently stroked Fawkes's feathers.

The young Weasley girl launched herself at Granger, while the remaining Weasley twin pulled Ron into a ferocious and desperately sad embrace. He wept freely, and Snape recognized the pure anguish on his face.

Potter stood there for a few moments, looking as if he did not quite know what to do with himself. He began glancing around the Hall, inspecting the bodies that littered the floor. Snape knew that he was mourning the lives that had been lost in his name. Potter turned at met Snape's gaze, an expression of extreme guilt and sorrow on his face. Snape held his gaze steadily, and then slowly tapped the side of his head, reminding the boy about his memories.

The boy nodded and reeled backwards from the doorway, exiting the hall.

Snape sat quietly, separated from everyone else. Occasionally people would wander by him, and look at him with pure disgust and revulsion, but they were too occupied to do anything to him. They seemed to assume that he had surrendered himself up, so they left him in peace.

Eventually Granger staggered away from the Weasley family and came to sit next to Snape.

"I thought I should let it just be family," she said with a sniff. Snape glanced at her, but refused to answer. Her eyes were leaking tears, and she was huddled in a small ball, hugging her knees close to her chest.

"It's Fred. Fred died," she whimpered. Snape remained silent, wondering if Fred was the one whose ear he had accidentally cursed off. "How will George ever recover from this?" she seemed to ask the universe, her eyes gazing up at the ceiling.

"He won't," Snape muttered, thinking of how some deaths no one can ever possibly recover from. He felt his face pull itself down into a tragic grimace as Lily's face floated through his thoughts.

Hermione fixed her eyes on him, a single tear rolling down her cheek.

"Professor, you are loyal to Dumbledore, right? That's why Fawkes came back and saved you, isn't it?" She glanced at Fawkes, and smiled sadly. Severus looked down at the phoenix and stroked its scarlet plumage.

"I don't know why Fawkes came back, or why he saved me," Snape answered quietly. Hermione opened her mouth, but Snape interrupted her before she could ask again. "Yes. Yes, I am still loyal to Dumbledore."

Hermione sniffed and nodded, then gave a small, wobbly smile. "I always thought so. Dumbledore trusted you," she said weakly. Snape nodded grimly.

"Is Harry going through your memories?" she asked, glancing around the Great Hall as if she just noticed he wasn't there.

"I expect so," Snape answered wearily, tired of speaking. It left him out of breath, and his throat still ached.

"What's so important in them?" she asked. Snape understood that it was Granger's way to try and understand and know everything, but he felt exhausted, and he didn't want to reveal what Potter was now seeing. That he had loved Lily Evans. That it was his fault Lily had died. That Snape had been protecting Potter for years. That Potter now had to die. He couldn't just tell these things to Granger. She would pity him for Lily, and she would try to stop Harry from fulfilling what needed to be done. So Snape remained silent.

After multiple minutes, Snape saw Granger look into the entrance hall, her eyes narrowing in concern. Snape followed her gaze, and saw what she had; a flash of a shoe unaccompanied by a body, a momentary glimpse of a pant leg. Someone was walking in the entrance hall; someone who was wearing an invisibility cloak.

"Harry?" Granger whispered, her eyebrows rose in concern. "Where is Harry going?" she asked confused, turning to Snape. "Professor, what did you show him? Where is he going?" she jerked her head back and forth between Snape and the entrance hall, and fear crept into her voice. "He's going to the forest," she whispered.

Without warning, she stood up and bolted towards the entrance hall. Hastily, Snape stood up and chased after her, moving slowly and stiffly.

"Granger!" he croaked after her, still feeling weak. She ignored him completely, continuing out the front door towards the steps. Suddenly, Fawked appeared before her in a flash of fire. The abruptness jolted Granger, who halted momentarily, allowing Snape to catch up.

"Granger, stop," he said firmly, his black eyes flashing irritably. He couldn't allow her to ruin everything.

"He's going to the woods!" she said frantically, her warm brown eyes now full of pure terror. She jolted into movement again, but Snape reached out and grasped her arms.

"Stop," he growled. "He needs to go."

"No!" she cried, "No, he will kill Harry!" her eyes were starting to tear up once again. She struggled to move, but Severus held her arm tightly.

"Potter must do this, he must go to the Dark Lord," Snape said gravely. Hermione shook her head, unwilling to listen to his words.

"Why? Why does Harry have to go? He's just not thinking, he feels bad, but going to Voldemort won't help anything!"

"Potter has a piece of the Dark Lord's soul living inside of him," Snape said after a brief moment of hesitation. "The Dark Lord cannot die while this bit of his soul lives in Harry."

"Harry is a horcrux?" Hermione asked breathlessly. Snape glanced into the distance, surprised they had known so much, surprised that Dumbledore had revealed so much to them. Snape hadn't even known so much initially. He had understood some hints from Dumbledore, and even a few from the Dark Lord and had eventually pieced everything together.

"Dumbledore believed so," he said gravely. Tears poured down Granger's face.

"No! He can't just let himself be killed! Let me go with him! I'll die for him!" she wept bitterly. Snape felt her words pierce his heart, reminding him of another muggle-born witch who had been willing to die to save Harry. Severus flinched, feeling as if Nagini had struck him again, this time in the heart.

Granger struggled, trying once more to run to the forest. Snape, torture written plainly on his face, grabbed her tightly, holding her close to his chest. They both fell to the steps, Hermione wrapped tightly in his arms. Hermione wept, and Snape stared fixedly at the forest, thinking of how he had failed Lily.


	2. Chapter 2

**All of the characters and much of the dialogue in this chapter belongs to JK Rowling. Please do read and review. Thanks!**

Once Granger's sobbing quieted Snape released her from his arms, hoping she wouldn't immediately dash to the forest to get herself killed as well. She did not move or seem to notice, she continued to lean against his chest, with her eyes glazed over and unseeing. Snape shifted uncomfortably, and she sat up straight. Snape immediately slid away from her.

They sat in silence. Snape wasn't sure what he should do. Potter was with the Dark Lord by now, and he was probably already dead. At any moment, Snape was sure that the Dark Lord would bring the body to the castle, to show his victory and banish any hope that the fighters still held in their hearts. Snape was certain the battle would recommence. The people inside would not quietly accept defeat. They had invested so much, and they would either defeat the Dark Lord or die in their attempts.

If Snape revealed himself to the Dark Lord when he returned to the castle, he might be killed immediately; receive the killing curse before he had any opportunity to do…something. If Dumbledore was right and Potter had destroyed the other horcruxes, and the horcrux inside Potter had been destroyed, then Snape only needed to kill Nagini and then Voldemort himself.

Snape continued to think through the tactics when he saw the formation emerge from the side of the Forbidden Forest. In the front walked the easily recognizable form of Hagrid, who was carrying what Snape assumed to be the body of Harry Potter. Behind Hagrid walked the Death Eaters, whooping and jeering, occasionally sending up spells with their wands. Voldemort walked slightly apart from all of them. He seemed to slide across the ground, and he did not join in on their festivities. He seemed determined and calculating, like a simmering fire.

"Oh no. No, it can't be," Granger muttered next to him, her eyes fixed on the body in Hagrid's arms. "HARRY!" she shrieked out, a sob wracking her body. Fawkes cooed next to her. Hermione continued with renewed sobs, occasionally shouting out Potter's name.

Snape stood up, standing tall and straight, looking directly at the danger descending. They had not recognized him yet, but they surely would soon.

The people from the Great Hall began to stream out to the front steps, beckoned by Granger's wailing. Weasley rushed past them, hurtling down the front steps and collapsing on the ground, staring at Harry's body.

"No! Harry!" he choked out in great sobs, pounding his fist on the ground. The living Weasley twin staggered over to him, lurching to the ground with him, pulling him into a hug. Ron couldn't be comforted though; he continued to gaze at Potter's body, tears pouring down his face, occasionally whimpering in disbelief.

As the rest of the people came out to the front steps, more and more cries joined in until the sound was deafening. The crowd was heartbroken and horrified and enraged. They roared out curses and abuse and swelled forward. Snape lingered in the middle, hidden among the crowd.

"SILENCE!" the Dark Lord bellowed. He waved his wand and Snape felt his tongue stiffen and roll back in his mouth as the silencing charm settled over them. "It is over! Set him down, Hagrid, at my feet, where he belongs!" he jeered.

Hagrid lowered Potter gently to the ground, and the Dark Lord began to pace back and forth next to the body.

"You see? Harry Potter is dead!" he called out triumphantly. "Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!"

"He beat you!" Weasley yelled out hoarsely. His words broke the silencing charm holding them, and the crowd shouted in defiance. Voldemort's gaze was burning as he waved his wand through the air once more, casting another silencing charm.

"He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds," the Dark Lord lied, his red eyes flaming and his lips sneering. "Killed while trying to save himself - "

Longbottom interrupted the speech, rushing forward out of the crowd, his wand drawn, shooting a curse towards the Death Eaters. Voldemort easily disarmed him, and laughed.

"And who is this?" he hissed. "Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle is lost?

Snape began to edge forward through the crowd, trying to get closer to Nagini and the Dark Lord.

"It's Neville Longbottom, my Lord!" Snape heard Bellatrix cackle. He scowled and grew closer. He silently began casting shield charms over those around him, casting one on Granger before the crowd swallowed her.

"Ah, yes, I remember," the Dark Lord said quietly, looking down at the Longbottom boy. Snape could imagine his lord's anger and confusion. The Dark Lord despised pure bloods who rebuffed his cause, and he viewed them as the worst sort of blood traitors. Longbottom stared back at Voldemort bravely, refusing to blink.

Snape ignored their conversation, ignored Neville's shouts and the crowds responding roar as the silencing charm broke once more. The nearer he drew, the better able Snape was to see Potter. He continued to lie on the ground, motionless, but he did not look right. Snape, who had grown familiar with the face of death, realized that Potter had too much color in his cheeks and his expression was too forced, as if he were clamping his eyes shut.

Snape continued to stalk closer, now on the very edge of the crowd, in clear sight of Voldemort and his Death Eaters, but they were too focused on the spectacle Longbottom was now enduring. The Sorting Had had been summoned, and Voldemort forced the hat over his head, forcing it down over his eyes.

As the hat burst into flame and Longbottom began to roar in agony, Snape cast a glance at Potter, and was relieved to see the boy twitch and then slightly frown.

Potter was alive.

Unable to understand how Potter had managed to deceive the Dark Lord, Snape continued to gaze at him in wonder. That was how he caught what no one else noticed. As a hoard of giants approached, roaring and tackling one another, and centaurs appeared for battle, and the Death Eaters began to scramble to avoid arrows, Snape watched as Harry pulled the invisibility cloak out from under him and over his body in a fluid motion.

At the same moment, Longbottom roared and ripped the Sorting Hat off of his head, reached deep into it, and pulled out the shiny hilt of the Gryffindor sword. Before anyone could react, Longbottom swung the sword through the air, and brought it down towards Voldemort. Initially Severus thought Longbottom had tried and failed to kill Voldemort, but then he noticed something fall to the ground, and the body of Nagini fall off of Voldemort's shoulders, thudding to the ground, its head laying a few feet away. Voldemort's mouth opened and let loose a furious roar as he swirled on the spot, slicing his wand through the air and casting a spell at Neville. Snape leapt forward from the crowd, casting a shielding charm between the two.

The Dark Lord turned his head slowly and fixed his eyes on Severus, his eyes blazing murderously.

"Severus," he hissed in disbelief. His hand twitched and he began to raise his wand.

"HARRY! HARRY! WHERE'S HARRY?" Hagrid shouted, momentarily distracting Voldemort. He turned his back on Snape and gazed at the now vacant ground.

Chaos broke out as the giants thundered across the grounds with hippogriffs and thestrals clawing at them from the sky. Death Eaters and the defenders of Hogwarts all charged into the castle, spells and cursing blazing through the air. Snape ran into the Great Hall and saw the battles ensuing. The Death Eaters seemed to be crippling beneath the weight of the renewed attacks, and students and Order members alike fought with renewed determination.

In the center of the Great Hall, Voldemort and Bellatrix waged battle against their separate foes. Voldemort dueled McGonagall, Slughorn and Kingsley simultaneously while Bellatrix battled three students, Granger, Lovegood and the Weasley girl. Bellatrix fired a curse between Granger and Weasley, and Snape launched forward, firing his own curse at Lestrange. She paused and glanced at him, like a curious child.

"Snape?" she breathed, her head cocked to the side.

"Good evening, Bellatrix. Are you too cowardly to fight anything besides teenagers?" he sneered at her, raising his wand. Bella snarled at him and shot a _crucio _at the Weasley girl, turning back to laugh at Snape.

"I just love to hear the wee kiddies scream," she crowed as the Weasley girl shrieked. Ginny stopped screaming almost at once, the spell seemed unable to hold.

Just as Bellatrix shot another curse at the girl, Molly rammed her way through the crowd, shrieking madly and sending a steady stream of curses at Bellatrix. She turned to face Molly and her face turned into a twisted smile. Bellatrix, just as Snape had expected, began taunting her opponent. As soon as the name, 'Fred,' escapred Bella's lips, Molly's face exploded into fiery rage, and a bolt of green light erupted from her wand.

As Bellatrix roared with laughter, Snape watched Molly's killing curse wind its way towards her. It met its mark, going straight into her heart. In the briefest of seconds, Bellatrix looked down at her chest, and back at Molly in disbelief. As she fell towards to ground, her eyes were fixed on her master, Lord Voldemort.

The Dark Lord watched her fall to the ground and roared, waving his arms, sending McGonagall, Kingsley and Slughorn flying backwards across the room. He turned and raised his wand, pointing it at Molly. Snape raised his own wand, ready to protect her, when he heard Potter's voice roar through the room.

"Protego!" he bellowed forcefully, pulling the invisibility cloak off of himself. The strength of the Shield Charm pushed Voldemort back a step. Snape immediately began pushing his way towards Potter.

A familiar voice shrieked out Potter's name, and the Weasley girl ran towards Harry. Harry had turned, his eyes fixed on Ginny when Voldemort raised his wand.

Snape had already been moving, and when Voldemort whipped his wand through the air, yelling out the killing curse, Snape had already thrown himself in front of Harry. The curse was just about to enter his own chest when Fawkes appeared in front of him, opening his beak and taking the curse whole. The phoenix fell to the ground in a pile of ashes.

Harry stepped forward, standing by Snape's side. Harry glanced at Snape and nodded in silent thanks.

"I don't want anyone else to try to help," Harry ordered loudly, echoing through the silent hall.

Voldemort sneered. "No one besides Severus. Hoping he can kill me since you can't, Potter?" Voldemort glared at Severus furiously, his anger at Snape's betrayal evident.

Breathless whispers broke out through the hall. "Severus Snape? The Death Eater?"

"Professor Snape won't try to kill you," Harry said steadily, giving Snape a look. Snape nodded in understanding, and stepped back, leaving Harry and Voldemort facing each other

"It's just you and me, Tom. Neither can live while the other survives, and one of is about to leave for good…" he said quietly. The two began to circle each other.

"One of us? You think it will be you, do you, the boy who has survived by accident, and because Dumbledore was pulling the strings?" Voldemort jeered.

"Accident, was it, when my mother died to save me?" Potter asked. Snape felt the familiar pull at his heart. "Accident, when I decided to fight in that graveyard? Accident, that I didn't defend myself tonight, and still survived, and returned to fight again?"

"Accidents!" Voldemort screamed angrily, his eyes flashing dangerously, but still his wand remained at his side. "Accident and chance and the fact that you crouched and sniveled behind the skirts of greater men and women, and permitted me to kill them for you!"

"You won't be killing anyone else tonight. You won't be able to kill any of them ever again. Don't you get it?" Harry asked calmly. "I was ready to die to stop you from hurting these people - " Harry began, and Snape immediately understood.

"But you did not!" Voldemort yelled angrily, still ignorant.

" – I meant to, and that's what did it. I've done what my mother did. They're protected from you. Haven't you noticed how none of the spells you put on them are binding? You can't torture them. You can't touch them. You don't learn from your mistakes, Riddle, do you?"

Voldemort's eyes flashed. "_You dare –"_

"Yes, I dare," Harry replied calmly. Snape and everyone in the hall continued to watch the two in complete silence.

"I know things you don't know, Tom Riddle. I know lots of important things that you don't. Want to hear some, before you make another big mistake?"

"Is it love again?" Voldemort mocked, his lip pulled up into a snarl. "Dumbledore's favorite solution, _love,_ which he claimed conquered death, though love did not stop him falling from the tower and breaking like an old waxwork? _Love, _which did not prevent me from stamping out your Mudblood mother like a cockroach, Potter – and nobody seems to love you enough to run forward this time and take my curse, besides Severus. Will he stop you dying now when I strike? My old spy?"

"No," Potter replied evenly. "Something else entirely will."

"If it is not love that will save you this time, you must believe that you have magic I do not, or else a weapon more powerful than mine?"

"I believe both," Harry replied, and shock flashed across Voldemort's face.

"You think _you _know more magic than I do? Than I, than Lord Voldemort, who has performed magic that Dumbledore himself never dreamed of?"

"Oh he dreamed of it," Harry said, "but he knew more than you, knew enough not to do what you've done."

"You mean he was weak! Too weak to dare, too weak to take what might have been his, what will be mine!" Voldemort seethed.

"No, he was cleverer than you, a better wizard, a better man." Snape heard Fawkes caw from across the room. Annoyance flickered on Voldemort's face.

"I brought about the death of Albus Dumbledore!" he shouted out.

"You thought you did, but you were wrong," Harry said, turning to look at Snape.

"_Dumbledore is dead! _His body decays in the marble tomb in the grounds of this castle, I have seen it, Potter, he will not return!"

"Yes, Dumbledore's dead," Harry replied steadily, still gazing at Snape. "But you didn't have him killed. He chose his own manner of dying, chose it months before he died, arranged the whole thing with the man you thought was your servant."

Voldemort gazed past Potter directly as Snape.

"Severus?" he hissed angrily.

"Severus Snape wasn't yours," Harry said firmly, "Snape was Dumbledore's, Dumbledore's from the moment you started hunting down my mother. And you never realized it, because of the thing you can't understand. You never saw Snape cast a Patronus, did you, Riddle?"

Voldemort did not answer, instead he continued to glare at Snape.

Snape raised his wand and muttered the incantation, the silvery doe materializing in front of him. He took comfort from its presence.

"A doe. The same as my mother's, because he loved her for nearly all of his life, from the time when they were children. You should have realized. He asked you to spare her life, didn't he?"

Voldemort's nostrils flared.

"You desired her was all," he said to Snape. He sounded as if he were trying to convince Snape, as if maybe Snape had forgotten and gotten confused along the way. "When she had gone, you agreed that there were other women, and of purer blood, worthier of you…"

"I loved Lily," Snape replied icily.

"He told you he just desired her, but he was Dumbledore's spy from the moment you threatened her, and he's been working against you ever since! Dumbledore was already dying when Snape finished him!"

Voldemort shook his head in anger.

"It matters not! It matters not whether he was mine or Dumbledore's. He cannot protect you, Potter. I have the Elder Wand. I took it from him, the wand answers to me!" he shrieked, trying to convince himself, though seeming uncertain.

"Wrong again, Tom," Harry said with a laugh. Voldemort scowled.

"What, is Snape still it's true master?

"_Avada Kedavra!"_ he shrieked desperately, sending a curse in Snape's direction.

Snape, who had been expecting an attack, waved his wand quickly and sent the curse harmlessly up into the wall.

"That won't help anything, Riddle. The wand isn't working properly for you because you got the wrong person. Severus Snape was never the true master of the Elder wand, because he never defeated Dumbledore."

"You killed -" Voldemort began, looking at Severus.

"Aren't you listening?" Harry asked. "_Snape never beat Dumbledore! _Dumbledore's death was planned between them! Dumbledore intended to die undefeated, the wand's last true master! If all had gone as planned, the wand's power would have died with him, because it had never been won from him!"

"But then, Potter, Dumbelodre as good as gave me the wand!" Voldemort said with clear pleasure. "I stole the wand from its last master's tomb! I removed it against its last master's wishes! Its power is mine!" he cried jubilantly, looking down at the wand in his hand.

"You still don't get it, Riddle, do you? Possessing the wand isn't enough! Holding it, using it, doesn't make it really yours. Didn't you listen to Ollivander? _The wand chooses the wizard… _The Elder Wand recognized a new master before Dumbledore died, someone who never even laid a hand on it. The new master removed the wand from Dumbledore against his will, never realizing exactly what he had done, or that the world's most dangerous wand had given him its allegiance…"

Snape thought back to that night, on the tower. He had entered after Draco, Dumbledore hadn't had his wand by that point…

"The true master of the Elder Wand was Draco Malfoy."

"But what does it matter? Even if you are right, Potter, it makes no difference to you and me. You no longer have the phoenix wand: We duel on skill alone…" Voldemort said softly. "…And after I have killed you, I can attend to Draco Malfoy, and Severus…"

"But you're too late. You've missed your chance. I got there first. I overpowered Draco weeks ago. I took his wand from him," Harry said, waving a wand that Snape could recognize as Draco's. Voldemort's eyes narrowed.

"So it all comes down to this, doesn't it? Does the wand in your hand know its last master was Disarmed? Because if it does… I am the true master of the Elder Wand."

As the sun burst through the window, encapsulating both Voldemort and Potter in its fiery glow, both pointed their wands and shouted out their curses.

"_Avada Kedavra!"_

_ "Expelliarmus!"_

The spells met in midair, and the Elder Wand soared out of the Dark Lord's hand, spun through the air, sent its killing curse back towards where it had came from, and eventually fell into the outstretched hand of its true master. Harry grasped both wands, and all the eyes in the hall watched the body of Tom Riddle collapse to the floor.


	3. Chapter 3

**The characters and the world belongs to JK Rowling.**

People cheered and celebrated and mobbed Potter. People returned to their families and wept openly, mourning what they had lost, but weeping relieved tears, knowing that it was all finally over. The people sat together at the tables, talking together about the night, talking about what was happening in the world. News was brought in that those under the Imperius Curse had regained their minds, Death Eaters were being round up, and the innocent were being freed. Everyone celebrated together, seated among the house tables, but not separated by house. Only Snape sat away from everyone, at the far end of the table. He didn't want to impose his presence on others, and he did not have anyone to share happy moments with.

Severus found a stray hat and scooped up Fawkes' ashes, the tiny phoenix was already peaking through, and returned to his bench, gently running a finger over the phoenix's tiny head.

After a while, Minerva has walked up to Severus.

"You never betrayed us," she said quietly, staring at him through her glasses. Her expression was torn, and Snape couldn't register the emotions behind it.

"I followed Dumbledore's orders," he replied, staring back at her steadily. She glanced at Fawkes and smiled, reaching out to stroke its feathers.

"I never knew you loved Lily," she said tenderly, her expression transforming into one of pity. Snape scowled and looked away. Pity disgusted him. Thanks to Potter, he was certain that he would be getting a lot of pity from now on. He should be feeling grateful, for Potter had assured that Snape would not have to fear Azkaban or the Dementor's Kiss, but he still felt overly exposed, and he did not like that everyone knew all of his secrets.

"Yes, well…" he replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"You'd think you would have treated Harry better," she said with a slight teasing tone in her voice.

Snape glanced up at her once more, his eyes conveying his irritation. She merely smiled slightly.

"Thank you, Severus. For doing all that you did. It was extremely brave of you," she said seriously, clamping a hand on his arm. "I find I am not accustomed to having to eat my own words, but I now regret calling you a coward." Snape snorted and Minerva smiled. "I know it is not much, but I want to assure you that your position at Hogwarts will naturally be reinstated. Perhaps Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?"

Snape nodded without speaking, though the corner of his mouth twitched when he thought of student's entering the classroom and seeing Voldemort's supposed loyal servant as their professor.

"You may naturally stay in the Castle, for as long as you like. I don't believe returning home would be the safest option, just now," she continued.

Snape nodded. Until the Ministry rounded up all of the rogue Death Eaters, it was best to avoid the public. The general public also still thought him a villain. He would be targeted by both sides. Staying in the castle, away from all the muttering and glaring and potential danger sounded highly advantageous.

"Thank you," he murmured. She nodded and patted him on the shoulder once more, then walked away.

He eventually settled on the side of the lake, under the tree that he and Lily used to sit under. He thought about her, and believed that if she were alive, she would be happy with what he had done. The guilt that he hadn't been able to protect the boy after all had been crushing down on him for the past months, but with Potter alive and well, Severus felt the weight subside slightly. He still regretted his past, and he was still mourned all that he had caused, but he felt that he might have earned some forgiveness.

Severus leaned his back against the tree and allowed himself to relax. It was an odd sensation, knowing that he would never have to report back to the Dark Lord every again. He would never again have to torture or kill. For the first time since he had gone to Dumbledore that night, Severus Snape was his own man.

As the sun reached its high point in the sky, people eventually began to walk the grounds, marveling at the sense of peace that seemed to be radiating. Occasionally the people would notice Severus, and they would nod at him solemnly, some even murmured thanks. A few people approached him; old classmates spoke of their memories of Lily. These conversations grated at his nerves, making him feel exposed. He eventually would lapse into stony silence and the well-meaning but irritating people would back away awkwardly.

"Yes, thank you for your sympathies, but I find they are rather late in the delivery and wholly unnecessary," he snapped at one particular lady, rubbing his temples.

"…Er, you must be tired…" she said awkwardly, returning to her husband and walking away, hand in hand. Severus sighed and scowled.

"Shouldn't you be happy?" came a voice. Severus looked up and saw Granger walking towards him. She was alone, and Snape assumed she had broken away from Potter and Weasley. She came and settled down in the grass next to him and stared silently at the lake. Severus glanced over at her, puzzled at her silence, and slightly irritated by her presence.

"What do you want, Granger?" he asked gruffly.

She sat in silence for a few moments.

"I wanted to say something," she replied, her eyes still fixed on the lake. The giant squid had risen to the surface of the lake and seemed to be lounging, soaking up the new sun's rays.

"I don't want your pity," Snape snapped irritably.

"I didn't offer it," she responded steadily. Snape glanced at her again. She did not look happy, she looked exhausted and slightly lost.

"You should get some sleep, Granger," he found himself saying as he looked at the darkness around her eyes, her drooping eyelids. She turned one eye lazily toward him and offered the smallest of smiles.

"I will, soon," she replied. "I wanted to thank you first."

Snape looked away, towards the lake, feeling uncomfortable once more. Emotional encounters were unsettling for him. He felt himself grow stiff and rigid, and he tugged at his collar.

"Harry told me everything that you did for him, and for us. He would want to thank you too, but you two… He… Well, I wanted to thank you," she said slowly, struggling with her words.

Snape smirked slightly, pleased to see that Potter hadn't assumed that they shared some sense of camaraderie now. He no longer despised Potter as much as he had before, but he did not desire any touching moment of soul-bearing. He preferred it like this. They both understood the other better, but they would not force any uncomfortable situations.

"You don't need to thank me, Granger. I did what was necessary, and what I had vowed to do," he said simply.

"It was very brave of you, Professor," she said quietly, and Snape glanced around uncomfortably. Granger seemed to sense his discomfort, and she rose slowly.

"Harry had… a moment. He was able to see some of his loved ones that had passed. He saw his mother, and she had a message for you. I figured I would pass it along to you," she said. Severus held his breath and felt his heart begin to race. Somehow Potter had been able to see Lily. Lily had mentioned him. Lily.

He turned his eyes and fixed them on Granger, his gaze hungry and expectant.

"She said to say thank you, and that you will always be best friends. Always," Granger said simply. She then turned and walked away. She glanced back when she was a few steps away, and Snape hurriedly brushed away a tear.


	4. Chapter 4

School did not reconvene immediately. The survivors of the battle returned home, the children reunited with their parents, and the adults reunited with their remaining loved ones. Only a few remained at Hogwarts to slowly repair the castle from the destruction it had endured. Snape joined them and after months passed, the castle had grown back into itself. The rubble had been cleared away, the structures had been repaired, and Filch had taken to cleaning the castle with a renewed frenzy.

Snape continued to live in the Professor's apartments, and allowed himself to relax into his new position. The faculty, for the most part, quickly accepted his return, and forgave him for all the things that had happened since that night on the Astronomy Tower. Slughorn especially seemed to develop a fondness for Severus, constantly inviting him to observe a new potion he had brewed, and even offering to introduce him to a number of society elites.

Snape continued to avoid the other teachers, feeling more comfortable in his solitude. He spent most of his days in his classroom, preparing lessons and reading textbooks. Every morning he joined the faculty for breakfast, but he spent the whole time reading the news. Kingsley was temporary Minister of Magic. Potter, Granger and Weasley had all been awarded Order of Merlins, First Class. Their faces covered the newspapers every day for months, each one promising exclusive new interviews with members of the Golden Trio.

It was in the paper that Severus discovered that Granger was returning to Hogwarts for her seventh year.

"Granger is coming back?" he spoke without thinking as he read the headlines. The other faculty members glanced in his direction.

"Yes she is. The offer was extended to any student who hadn't been able to complete their seventh year, though only Miss Granger took the offer," McGonagall replied with a hint of amusement in her voice.

"It's not wholly unexpected, I'm sure any of us could have guessed that she would be the one to return," Flitwick chirped from down the table, an affectionate smile on his lips.

"I didn't know it was even an option," Severus said distractedly.

"Really, Severus. Do you ignore us entirely when you eat with us? We have mentioned it multiple times. We even asked your opinion once," McGonagall said with a shake of her head. Snape merely shrugged.

"Where will she stay? Surely not in the dormitories. She would not be given a moments peace," he said, imagining the ever present cluster of admirers.

"How strangely thoughtful of you, Severus," McGonagall replied sarcastically. "She will be given an apartment within the castle." Severus nodded and lapsed back into silence.

When he returned to his classroom after breakfast, he nervously anticipated what it would be like to have Granger in his classroom again. She was a good student, overly enthusiastic, and he knew she would not give him any trouble, but he nevertheless was anxious about having her in class. He no longer thought of her as a child or a student, he thought of her as an adult. She also knew his past and no doubt Potter had revealed all of the intimate details. She knew him much too well now, and Snape found familiarity and intimacy to be awkward and uncomfortable.

He eventually decided to try to ignore her, and with that decision made, he picked up a book and forgot about her until the start of term.

X

Term began and Severus found himself seated at the Staff Table as the steady stream of students entered the great hall. Minerva sat in the Head Mistress's chair as Sprout brought in the first years and started reading off the list.

The Sorting Hat seemed to take a special effort to sort more students than usual into the Slytherin house. The students seemed a little frightened as they made their way over to the Slytherin table, but the older students tried to smile reassuringly, and the other tables even applauded along politely. The house prejudice seemed to be waning slightly. Severus clapped along politely when each student was sorted into his old house. Next to him, Professor Slughorn clapped and laughed jovially.

"Looks like a good stock this year, Severus. I bet I have a good chance of winning the House Cup!" the plump man said, winking at Severus. Slughorn had retained his head of house duties for Slytherin. Minerva has offered the position back to Severus, but the thought made him feel exhausted. He did not want to deal with the children of his old fellow Death Eaters, and he didn't want to deal with their expectations of him.

"It's the house that wins the cup, Horace, not you," Severus said dryly. He found Slughorn's ego to be tiring. Horace just laughed.

"Oh sure, sure," he replied good naturedly, but he continued to evaluate each student that was sent to Slytherin, as if to make certain that they were worthy.

Eventually the sorting finished, and Minerva made a short speech about rebuilding and coming together. She warned how past judgments must subside, and a spirit of open-mindedness and forgiveness would reign. The students listened earnestly, and when the feast started, Snape was surprised to see a number of students stand up from their own table and join their friends at other tables. The conversations even flowed back and forth between the house tables.

Snape glanced over to the Gryffindor table, and his eyes automatically found Granger. She sat at the end nearest to the staff table, and she seemed to be keeping to herself. Occasionally another student would speak to her, but she would merely look up and respond with a short sentence and turn back to her food.

Snape unwillingly found himself worried about her. Granger still looked exhausted, and her head bobbed with fatigue over her soup.

Granger must have felt his eyes on her. Turning her head, her brown eyes met his black. She had large dark circles underneath her eyes, and they seemed watery and vague, no longer sharp and bright as they used to. She smiled at him, but it seemed forced, and it slipped off her face in moments. Snape did not return her smile, he continued to study her, his brow furrowed in concentration. Granger turned her head away from him, returning to her food. She picked at it, only bringing a few bites to her lips.

The feast eventually ended with Minerva dismissing the students. Severus stood quickly and made his way out of the Great Hall towards the dungeons, hoping to avoid all the swarms of students returning to their dormitories. He walked the familiar steps down to the dungeon, his steps echoes around him comfortingly. His cloak flowed around his feet, and he tugged at his snug collar, checking the skin where Nagini's fangs had pierced. There was slight scarring, and Snape rubbed his thumb over the scar absent mindedly.

From the opposite end of the corridor, Snape could hear the soft sounds of approaching footsteps. Turning, he saw the familiar bushy hair. Her head was bowed and her footsteps were shuffling. She did not seem to notice Severus until she was directly in front of him. She looked up at him and smiled tiredly.

"Professor, I didn't see you," she said quietly, standing in front of him and swaying slightly.

"They are hiding you out in the dungeons?" Snape asked her, glancing down the corridor, "Do they not have any open apartments in the upper floors?"

"I asked to be down here," Granger replied as Snape peered at her quizzically. "I feel safer…down here," she explained, glancing at the gloomy walls.

"I see," he responded slowly. They stood for a few moments in stuffy silence. "Do you need help finding your apartment?"

"No," she replied, looking him in the eye and smiling with amusement in her eyes. "It's at the end there," she said, pointing at a door a few down from Snape's own.

Granger stifled a yawn.

"You ought to go to sleep Miss Granger," Severus said firmly. Granger looked up at him, blinking lazily.

"I know I ought to, but that's easier said than done," she said with a small smile. Severus continued to gaze at her in silence. "Good night, Professor," she said finally, walking away from him. Snape watched her go, and then entered his own apartment.


	5. Chapter 5

Snape walked down the dank steps, returning to his classroom for the first class of the semester, with the Gryffindor and Slytherin seventh years. He had been assigned the renewed Defense Against the Dark Arts class, which the Dark Lord had ordered him to discontinue while he had been Headmaster. Minerva had explained to him why she felt he should not retain his status as Headmaster. He would face prejudice from the board, the students would feel uneasy, and the situation would be disconcerting. She began to say that she could not force him to step down from his position when he chuckled darkly.

"By all means, have my position. I did not desire it in the first place," he had said. Minerva nodded and expressed her gratitude. She took over as Headmistress, a position which Snape felt suited her far more than Headmaster had suited him.

As he rounded the corner to his classroom, he saw a crowd gathered outside the door, with raised voices echoing down towards him. A Gryffindor male was speaking angrily to the surrounding students. His face was flushed, his eyes were flashing angrily, and his fists were clenched. As Snape drew closer to the crowd, a few watching students noticed him and backed away, eyes wide.

"How can they let him stay here?" the boy spat out, not yet noticing Snape standing near him. "He's a Death Eater, and he killed Dumbledore. They can't expect us to just forget everything that he did last year!"

Snape felt his lip pull up into a sneer as he listened to the boy. The students were shooting looks at the Gryffindor, trying to warn him that the object of his attack was behind him, but the thickheaded boy did not seem to understand. He continued his speech, seeming to be very pleased that everyone was listening to him so intently.

"He brought the Carrows, he sent half the kids into hiding and he tortured the rest!"

"I believe you are mistaken," Snape drawled venomously. The boy whipped around to face him, his eyes growing wide with fear. "I never tortured my students, though I am sorely tempted to rethink my policy." He heard the students gasp and he rolled his eyes.

"Sure, you didn't torture anyone," the boy retorted sarcastically. "You just ordered your Death Eater friends to do the dirty work for you."His eyes darted around nervously. He seemed to take a little comfort from the fact that there were plenty of witnesses.

Snape remained silent. He could not deny that the Carrows certainly tortured the students freely, though Snape had never ordered it. He had even taken steps to hinder them.

"You don't deny it," the boy snorted bitterly. "You are a murderer, and a traitor. And I don't believe you were on our side the whole time like you try to make everyone believe. It's pretty convenient that you only joined us when you saw that Harry was still alive. You wanted to wait until you were sure you could back the winning side."

"I do not have to explain myself to ignorant, headstrong Gryffindors. It may be hard to believe, but I do not value your opinion in the slightest," he growled.

"I'm not going to let some Death Eater teach me. Who can trust that you won't try to curse us when our backs are turned?"

"Then you may leave," Snape replied seething. "If anyone else is…uncomfortable with my teaching… you may take it up with the Headmistress."

He strode past the crowd into the classroom. When he stopped at his desk and turned, he noticed a lone student, already seated in the front row. Granger sat there, her wand on the desk, looking at him steadily. She nodded and gave him an encouraging smile.

He ignored her and turned to the board, waving his wand. Words began to scrawl their way across the board, outlining spells that they would be covering that class.

When he finished, the class had mostly filled, only a few chairs remained unfilled, and he assumed the children were currently expressing their woes to McGonagall. Snape imagined that Minerva would not be patient with the students. She had shown little patience for those who had held steadfastly to their prejudices and fear.

He began the class by taking the roll call, he quickly passed over the names of the people who had left, and glanced at Granger when he called her name. She simply smiled and raised her hand slightly. He kept his face expressionless.

"I am here to teach you the art of defending yourselves against the Dark Arts," Snape began, talking in barely above a whisper. The room was absolutely silent. "Given the events that have recently transpired, even the dimmest among you can appreciate the importance of knowing defense. The Dark Arts have the power to create immense chaos. We have all seen and experienced their destructive power. Certain individuals will always be tempted by their ever changing, challenging, and untamable nature, and while there will always be those who will abuse these arts, you will need to possess the power to fight against them. I will teach you how to stare this danger in this face, how to control your mind and your impulses, to not be motivated by fear and make rash decisions, but to be calculating, controlled, and courageous."

Granger was gazing at him steadily, as though she were soaking in his words. She constantly seemed to be studying him, as if she were looking at a particularly confusing puzzle, and he found himself scowling at her. He tore his gaze away from hers, irritably.

"A mere knowledge and understanding of a handful of spells is not enough. You must be tactical and adaptable. You must be able to plan as well as rely on trained instincts. In this class, your mind will be exercised as much as your magic."

"Split into pairs and practice the spells on the board. There are both offensive and defensive. Adapt your approach for each situation," he instructed.

Snape waved his wand, moving the tables to the edges of the room. The students began to pair off, and Snape was once again surprised to see that some Gryffindors and Slytherins even paired together. Granger was one of the ones who paired off with a Slytherin. She and Greengrass faced each other, each waiting for the other to strike.

As Snape walked behind Granger, Greengrass shouted out her curse, and Granger, seemingly distracted, did not have a chance to defend herself. The spell burst against her, blasting her back. She smashed against Severus, causing him to stumble backwards a step. He grabbed her shoulders, stopping her from falling to the floo.. He heard a few students snicker, and he glowered.

He took another step back, pushing her away from his body.

"Focus, Granger," he said icily. She flushed slightly but nodded, looking irritated with herself. Being bested in class was clearly not familiar to her.

He continued to circle the class, not entirely displeased with their skill level. They clearly had room to improve, but they were not completely worthless. The majority cast the spells passably well, although Severus felt that a few could have chosen more appropriate counter attacks. Overall, Snape found himself nodding, feeling relatively satisfied as he watched the students.

He quickly found, not to his surprise, that Granger and Weasley were his best students. Weasley had the power and swiftness, while Granger was slightly slower, but cleverer. As he walked past, he hesitantly awarded both of them five points, causing them both to smile, though Weasley did rather reluctantly. He also awarded points to Greengrass, who delivered her curses nonverbally and powerfully. By choosing to deliver her attacks silently, Granger was initially caught off guard. Eventually she grew more focused, taking her cues by watching the Slytherin girl's wand and eyes.

Snape watched as Greengrass and Granger faced off against one another, both intensely focused as they watched for any hint of movement in the other. Without warning, Greengrass raised her wand and silently sent her curse, as Granger raised her wand a split moment later, sending her own counter curse. The curses collided in mid air, halting Grangers and sending it harmlessly off to collide against the wall. Greengrasses's powerful curse was not diverted, and it continued towards Granger, hitting her in the face rather than the stomach, where Greengrass had originally been aiming.

Hermione collapsed to the ground, gasping and clutching at her face. Greengrass rushed forward, kneeling at Granger's side.

"Oh, I am so sorry," Greengrass cried breathlessly, as Granger clutched at her face, gasping quietly. Snape swooped down, pulling her hand away from her face. The skin was scorched and blistered, and Granger's face was twisted in pain.

"Professor, I didn't mean to hit her in the face, I swear," Greengrass panted anxiously.

"Be quiet, Miss Greengrass," Snape growled, almost amused as the girls eyes darted around the room, clearly worried that the other Gryffindors would think she had meant to attack the famous Granger.

"Granger, put your hand down," Snape ordered, pulling her hand away again. He pulled out his wand and cast a healing charm. The redness subsided slightly, and Granger sat up.

"I am really so sorry," Greengrass repeated, looking frantic. Granger looked at her and smiled reassuringly.

"It's fine," Granger replied kindly, waving her hand dismissively. "Your curse was just more powerful than mine. I'd hate to face you in a duel."

"I didn't mean-" the Slytherin began again.

"Save your apologies for another time, Miss Greengrass," Snape snapped. The girl clamped her mouth shut and backed away, sending an apologetic glance to Granger. Hermione just smiled.

"I would like you all to read pages one hundred and ninety seven through two hundred and thirty four. Pay special attention to the section on the Verbanio Charm; we will be covering that next class," Snape snapped at the students hovering around them, anxious for them to leave. "You are all dismissed."

The students filed out slowly. Greengrass hovered back for a few moments until Snape scowled at her once more, forcing her to regretfully amble out the door.

"How is the pain Miss Granger?" Snape asked, quickly checking her vitals and her pupils. He gently ran his thumb over the burn, careful not to chafe the skin. Granger fixed her eyes on the floor, her breath hitching in discomfort as he gently pressed on the skin.

"Tolerable," she whispered. Snape frowned as he noticed her eyes begin to droop, her exhaustion once again becoming evident. He stood up quickly and walked over to a cupboard while she continued to sit on the floor, leaning back on her arms.

Snape summoned a vial of salve from a cabinet, and walked back towards her, holding out the salve in his outstretched palm.. She clambered to her feet.

"Apply this to the burn, and it will heal by tomorrow," he ordered. Granger nodded and took the vial, yawning, and Snape noticed that her eyes were bloodshot. He turned away from her immediately and went to stand behind his desk.

Hermione walked past him towards the door. "Goodbye, Professor," she said before she walked out.

He remained silent and watched her leave.


	6. Chapter 6

Snape patrolled the corridors, making sure that the students were in their dormitories, and no one was else was in the castle. The castle was quiet, with only the ghosts and the portraits moving around. He occasionally would stop and speak to the portraits, asking if they had seen anything out of the ordinary. The paintings would then prattle on about their gossip. Sir Marshrow had gotten into a duel and the painter had had to be called in for repairs, and Lady Gwen had run off from her husband with a knight from another portrait. Snape nodded along obligingly. He had grown used to the portraits during his year as Headmaster.

His thoughts once again returned to the idea of visiting his old office to speak to Dumbledore's portrait. He knew that the portrait was not truly Dumbledore, merely an imitation, but he still felt tempted to speak with it. He wanted to hear Dumbledore's voice, and hear that he had performed his duties well. He wanted to know why Fawkes had returned to him, and why he had taken to living with Snape.

Snape supposed he was simply struggling to adapt to the sudden disappearance of a man who had been such a constant presence in his life. Since he had begged Dumbledore to protect Lily, he had interacted with the man regularly, even when he did not wish to. He had spied for him, reported to him, obeyed him and argued with him. He had often struggled and chaffed against Dumbledore, but he had also grown to respect and appreciate the wizard.

Even after he had been forced to kill Dumbledore, Snape had still been able to speak to his portrait every day. The portrait was extremely accurate and knowledgeable, as Dumbledore had imparted all of his wisdom and memories onto the portrait before he had died. Suddenly, Dumbledore's presence was gone completely, and Snape struggled with the loss.

He considered going to his old office, but it was Minerva's office now. He could not just enter unannounced, and he couldn't speak to Dumbledore as freely with McGonagalls presence.

As he crossed through the entrance hall heading towards the tunnel leading towards the dungeons, Snape head the first hint of a student out of bed, recognizing the distant sound of the soft padding of feet on the cold stone floor.

Snape rushed across the hall, his cloak billowing behind him. As he turned the corner, the corridor was empty, but he could still hear the faint padding sound. Slowing his steps and trying to be silent, Snape continued down the adjacent corridors. When he turned a final corner, he saw the huddled form of someone sitting against the wall.

Snape swooped closer, ready to dock points and dole out detentions. He was nearly about to bark out angrily when he recognized the bushy hair.

"Granger?" he said, surprised. "What are you doing?" He hesitated awkwardly, unsure how to handle the witch in front of him. He found it difficult to view Granger as another student. She barely seemed like a student, she did not seem to associate with her House or her peers. He hadn't seen her speak to anyone but the Weasley girl, and even that was only in passing. Docking house points seemed senseless, and handing out a detention seemed ridiculous. He didn't feel entirely right berating her either. He rubbed at his neck as he considered the situation.

"Oh, Professor Snape," Granger said quietly, as though she were in a daze. Severus wondered fleetingly whether she were sleepwalking. She glanced up at him, a look of mild embarrassment on her face. "I was just walking."

Snape frowned. "You are not at liberty to wander the corridors at night," he said sternly, though it felt wrong. He thought back to her years at Hogwarts. Granger had never been one to ignore the rules without a purpose, unlike Potter. He enjoyed strutting the halls at night, but Granger was much more likely to be seen staying in the library past hours. Pointlessly sitting in abandoned hallways seemed oddly out of character.

"I just stepped out for a moment to clear my head," she replied. Snape frowned at her.

"I am meant to believe that you just 'stepped out' at three in the morning? Just to 'clear your head?'" he said sarcastically, raising his eyebrow at her.

"Is it that late?" she asked innocently. "I must've lost track of time."

"Granger…" he spoke icily, folding his arms and glaring down at her. Her behavior made little sense to him. She seemed entirely unconcerned that she had been caught breaking the rules, and he had never known her to be so uninfluenced by a professor's authority.

"I…I haven't been able to sleep well," she admitted hesitantly.

"You have an entire apartment, Miss Granger. Surely you could find ways to entertain yourself there, rather than wandering around past curfew," he said, frowning.

"I feel trapped staying in one place for too long," she replied quietly, her face growing slightly flushed. "I'm not used to it after constantly having to stay on the move."

Snape hesitated, feeling a slight twinge of pity. He could understand how the year of constantly hiding would make it difficult to remain in one spot. Looking at Granger, he could see that she looked tense, her shoulders were hunched and her fists were clenched. And her lack of sleep was obvious. Her eyes were still bloodshot and half shut.

"I'm sorry Miss Granger, but I cannot allow you to break rules that the other students must follow. You will return to your room, and if I see you out of your room past curfew again, I will take points," he said firmly.

She looked at him and nodded. She clambered to get up and Snape extended his hand out instinctively. She grasped his hand tightly, allowing him to pull her too her feet. Snape twitched his fingers uncomfortably, pulling his hand back immediately. He absentmindedly ran his fingers over the scar on his neck as she smiled at him.

Granger seemed to be under the impression that they shared a history and a sense of solidarity after what had happened during the Battle of Hogwarts. He could admit to himself that he had grown to respect her after all she had achieved with Potter, and he admired her intelligence and work-ethic, but he felt uncomfortable with her believing that they were now friendly. Snape did not enjoy interacting with others. It never felt natural, and he struggled to understand any ferret out any hidden expectations or motives. He did not desire companionship, and he did not feel capable of giving or receiving it. Especially not to his students, even if Granger was slightly older and less ridiculous than the rest.

To demonstrate his complete indifference, Snape turned and walked away from her, only to find that she was trailing behind him. He glanced back at her with his eyebrow raised.

"We are going to the same place," she said with a laugh. Snape nodded. He had forgotten.

"Ah, yes," he said slowly. After a few moments of uncomfortable silence he asked, "Why have you not been sleeping well?" He felt the question was too personal, but he was uncomfortable with her walking quietly behind him, it gave him the familiar feeling that she was scrutinizing him.

"Dreams," she responded simply. Snape nodded; unsurprised that she would be struggling with nightmares. She had experienced much in the past year, and even the years before that. Snape used to struggle with bad dreams, he would picture Lily being murdered in front of him, or Potter dying as Lily watched, tears running down her face. His dreams had ceased though since the Dark Lord's fall.

"I could draft a potion for you," he offered ambivalently, glancing at her over his shoulder.

"Thank you for the offer, but that's alright," she said quickly. Snape frowned but did not respond.

They walked the remainder in complete silence. Snape tried to ignore her presence, but he couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. Whenever he glanced back at her, her eyes met his own. He would quickly turn away, and he thought he heard a whisper of a laugh come from behind him. He scowled, feeling as though she were mocking him. He walked faster and refused to glance back again.

When they reached the corridor, Snape didn't say a word; he walked directly to his room and closed the door behind him.


	7. Chapter 7

Snape was seated behind his desk, grading the essays he had assigned to his fourth years when he heard a slight creak of a door opening whisper from the hall. He paused for a moment and listened, waiting for the familiar sound of padding footsteps to creep past his door.

Granger had continued to leave her apartment every evening that week, always in the early hours of the morning. Snape had ignored her for the past few days, finding himself to be unwilling to endure another interaction with the girl. It was only her obvious attempts to hide her departure from him that spurred him into motion, finding himself to be quite irritated that she thought she could sneak past without him knowing. He pulled on his cloak reluctantly, and slowly stood up from his desk.

He opened his door quietly and quietly went off in the direction Granger had gone. He moved slowly, careful not to make a sound. He could still hear her quiet noises, the sound of her feet on the floor, the sound of her cracking her knuckles. He scowled and continued after her, though remaining far enough back that he was yet unable to catch a glimpse of her.

He walked through the Great Hall towards the marble staircase when he caught a glimpse of the open great doors from the corner of his eye. They were only open a few inches, but the moonlight cast a sliver of light onto the ground, and the Forbidden Forest could be seen through the cracks. Snape walked forward, and opened the door further, glancing out across the grounds. He saw Granger walking determinedly towards the forest.

Muttering to himself about "rule breaking Gryffindors," Snape followed after her, pulling his cloak closer around him as the wind nipped at his exposed skin. He pulled up his collar, protecting his still vulnerable feeling neck. As he neared the edge of the forest, he hesitated, thinking of the last time he had been in there. He and the other Death-Eaters had been gathered there, and he had been summoned from there to go to the Shrieking Shack, where he had almost been killed. In this forest Potter had died and returned.

Shaking his head, Severus pressed on, wandering between the trees. He didn't see a glimpse of Granger anywhere, so he cast a spell. A path along the ground suddenly began to glow, showing her trail. He followed it slowly, feeling uncomfortable in the darkened silence. He scowled and focused, reminding himself of all the much more dangerous things he had done. Walking in the forest was nothing.

After a few minutes of walking, he saw Granger further down the path, kneeling on the ground, apparently searching for something. Snape crept up behind her, silently.

"Do explain what it is exactly that you are doing out past curfew again," Snape growled. "And not just out past curfew, but also out of the castle, in the Forbidden Forest."

Granger jumped, looking up at him in fear. She opened her mouth and closed it a few times, clearly struggling to come up with an excuse.

"The Forbidden Forest was aptly named, Miss Granger. It is _forbidden _to the students of this school, including you," he continued, glaring down at her.

"Yes sir, I know that," she replied quickly, standing up and brushing off her dirty trousers.

"Then what is your reason for being out here?" he demanded.

"Well…" Granger trailed off uncertainly.

"Are you hoping your new celebrity status would grant you the privilege of ignoring the rules that normal students must follow?" Snape sneered.

"No!"

"Are you suffering from memory loss? Or were you simply ignoring me when I warned you about being out past curfew last time?"

"I was not ignoring you, sir."

"Your prolonged exposure to Potter on your lengthy camping trip has clearly taken its toll," Snape said sarcastically. Granger gave a small laugh and Snape scowled at her.

"I wouldn't call what we did a camping trip, Professor," she said lightly. Snape rolled his eyes.

"Yes yes, you went through some tough times, I am sure. I certainly would not enjoy being stuck with only Potter for company. You have my sympathy," Snape said with a snort, feeling the conversation beginning to slide off topic. He assumed Granger was doing it on purpose.

"Ron was there as well," she said quietly. "And I thought you liked Harry a bit more now," she said, peering at him with an amused smile on her face.

"You would be mistaken. Begrudging appreciation and affection are two entirely different things," he replied bitterly. Hermione laughed appreciatively.

"Harry said nearly the same thing," she explained as Snape looked at her quizzically. Snape just sneered.

"Enough, Granger. What is your excuse for being out here after I expressly told you not to be out past curfew again?"

"I was looking for something," she said slowly, glancing around the ground once again. Snape followed her gaze, but he didn't see anything but the foliage from the forest.

"Unless you were searching for fallen twigs, I am assuming you did not find it?" he asked condescendingly.

"No, I didn't," she replied, sounding slightly annoyed. Snape felt the corner of his mouth twitch.

"What were you looking for?" he asked.

She hesitated for a moment, appearing to be deep in thought. "The Resurrection Stone," she said finally. Snape looked at her with a blank expression on his face.

"And what is that?"

"The Resurrection Stone," she repeated, unhelpfully. "Surely Dumbledore told you about it."

Snape glared at her.

"Miss Granger, do you think I would ask about it if I already had knowledge of it?" he said sarcastically. He felt a flicker of annoyance towards Dumbledore. He had always known that Dumbledore hid things from him, but he found it immensely frustrating that Potter, Granger and Weasley seemed to know more than he did. He did not know what this stone was, or what significance it held, but it was obvious that Granger felt it was important, and that it was worth protecting.

"Sorry, of course not," Granger replied hastily.

"What is the Resurrection Stone?" Snape asked.

"I don't think I should say anything. If Dumbledore didn't mention anything about it to you," she said slowly, looking at him anxiously. Snape growled at her, his eyes flashing with flames of frustration.

"I think considering all that I did for Dumbledore, I have the right to know about a silly stone," he seethed. He thought back to all he had done; serving as a spy, constantly allowing his life to be placed in danger, acting as Headmaster so that he could somewhat protect the students, allowing the students to rebel and plot against him, pretending to be ignorant. He had supplied Potter with the sword, he had withheld their locations from the other Death Eaters when Granger let slip their location when Phineas was still in her bag. He had almost been murdered by Voldemort, he had given his memories to Potter, and he had fought against the Death Eaters during the battle. Snape thought that all of his actions merited some trust. Granger just shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Professor, but it's not my place to tell you. Dumbledore didn't want too many people knowing about it. Harry probably wouldn't be too happy if I said too much either," she said, adding on the last bit as an afterthought.

"Naturally Potter knows about everything. Weasley no doubt knows as well. But no, I cannot be trusted with such sensitive information. I would naturally hate to anger Mr. Potter ," Snape fumed.

"Potter," he uttered with a huff of anger. He understood Potter's achievements and importance, but he still felt himself grow slightly irritated when he was reminded of the influence he now held. He couldn't help but think of James Potter, and imagine how arrogant and cocky he would be to see his son as such a celebrity. He also believed that Potter secretly enjoyed his celebrity status, despite his constantly pleading otherwise.

"I'm sorry, sir" Granger muttered, looking uncomfortable.

"Think nothing of it, Granger," Snape said curtly. "You will report to my classroom on Thursday evening for your detention."

Granger looked at him with a comically shocked expression on her face.

"Detention?" she repeated, looking confused.

"Yes, Miss Granger, detention. If you aren't sure what it is, I'm sure the library has a book about it," he replied sarcastically.

"I've never been given a detention," Granger said quietly, looking somewhat distraught.

"I seem to remember you served one your first year, after you and Mr. Potter were caught out past curfew," Snape replied. "Clearly your wandering habits developed early on."

He remembered the instance. During their first year, Potter and Granger had both been found out of bed on the astronomy tower. Snape had enjoyed somewhat good-naturedly ribbed McGonagall, until she revealed that Draco Malfoy had also been found out of bed.

Potter had been assigned detentions often over the years, quite a few times from Snape himself, but Severus couldn't remember Granger ever serving a detention again, though he doubted that she ceased rule-breaking. Being friends with Potter made that quite unlikely. He assumed that she rather became more adept at the practice, and being rather clever, had avoided being caught from then on. Plus McGonagall and the other teachers all shared a soft spot for the clever Gryffindor, and were likely reluctant to be too harsh on their favorite student.

"That one didn't count, we were just helping Hagrid," she replied, still sounding distracted. Snape rolled his eyes, unsurprised that the giant would condone the students being out of bed. Hagrid seemed to think of the trio as friends. He had often invited them over for tea, and Severus had often seen Hagrid's rather large tawny owl delivering letters to them at breakfast over the years. Severus had always been confused by their relationship.

"Then you will enjoy this new experience, I am sure," he said sarcastically. Granger just looked at him, still silently trying to come to terms with her apparently traumatizing detention.

"Oh," she replied distractedly, her expression twisted in confusion.

"Don't look so distraught, Miss Granger," Snape found himself saying. "It is merely one detention. I daresay Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley will be quite ecstatic to hear that you earned one on your own."

Hermione laughed for a moment, before her face transformed into a small frown, her eyes trailed off distractedly. Snape studied her expression for a moment, confused by her reaction.

"Come, Miss Granger, you are going to return to your room at once," Snape said firmly, pulling her out of her thoughts. Granger nodded and began walking slowly, keeping her eyes trained on the ground.

"I doubt you will be able to find this stone of yours," Snape said, guessing that she was still looking for it. Her expression confirmed his suspicions.

"I doubt I will be able to either, but I had to try," she said cryptically.

"And you won't tell me why that is?" Snape asked angrily.

"It's not my place to tell," she replied, shrugging her shoulders. Snape growled once again.

The two walked in silence, quickly leaving the looming trees behind them as they crossed the open grounds. Snape peered over at Hagrid's hut, noticing lights pouring out from the windows. He thought he could see a Hippogriff lying across Hagrid's great bed, but he shook his head, certain that even Hagrid wouldn't be foolish enough to let such an unstable and temperamental creature sleep in his bed.

Snape walked quickly up the stairs, holding the large, oak door open for Granger.

"Get inside, and return to your room," he ordered. Granger nodded and walked into the Great Hall. Before she reached the stairs to the dungeons, Snape called out to her.

"Miss Granger!" he barked out.

"Yes, Professor?" she said, turning towards him.

"Do not let me catch you out of bed again," he warned. Granger smiled slightly before walking away.


	8. Chapter 8

Once she was out of sight, Snape turned on his heels and began marching down the deserted halls towards the Head's office, determined to talk to Dumbledore and demand to know what this Stone business was. Snape was infuriated by feeling ignorant. He refused to let Dumbledore continue to withhold things from him now that the Dark Lord was conquered and Snape could no longer be considered a risk.

He climbed the stairs to the third floor, ultimately coming to a halt as he faced the stone gargoyle.

"Password?" the statue demanded.

"Dumbledore!" Snape barked. Minerva had never altered the password since Severus had chosen it during his reign. The gargoyle immediately sprang to the side, revealing the rotating spiral staircase. Severus stepped forward and rode the staircase until it reached the solid door. He knocked on the door softly, certain that McGonagall would be sleeping. It was nearly two in the morning.

To his surprise, the door swung open within a few moments, revealing all the lights to be on. Snape took a hesitant step forward, walking into the familiar office.

When Dumbledore had been Headmaster, odd trinkets and little oddities had been scattered all over. Muggle treats and magazines were stacked next to rare magical artifacts. The office had always seemed eccentric yet completely Dumbledore.

When Snape had been Headmaster, he had tried not to touch or alter the office, and treated it as if it were still Dumbledore's, and he was just borrowing it temporarily. He had holed himself up in the office constantly, refusing to let anyone else enter, knowing that his cover would be blown if anyone saw his obvious display of respect and reverence towards Dumbledore's possessions.

McGonagall, however, had made the office her own. Banners flowed down the walls, with rare potted plants scattered near the windows. A pile of books sat on each table, some still open to random pages. The office was orderly and neat. Snape thought the office lacked the eccentric and cozy ambiance Dumbledore's office had oozed out, instead emitting a rather formal and no -nonsense atmosphere

Snape took a few more steps into the room and saw McGonagall sitting in her chair next to Dumbledore's portrait. They were both smiling happily, as if they were merely enjoying the other's company.

"Severus," McGonagall said with surprise. "To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"

"I apologize for the lateness of the hour," Snape said hastily, staring at Dumbledore. "I was hoping to speak to Dumbledore." Minerva smiled slightly as Dumbledore beamed.

"Of course, Severus," she said happily. "He has been hoping to see you ever since the battle." She stood up from her chair and walked to the staircase on the opposite side of the room that led to her private apartments. "I will give you two some privacy."

Snape nodded appreciatively, and she walked out of sight, and Snape heard the soft thud as she shut the door behind her.

"My dear Severus, I was wondering when you would come to see me," Dumbledore chirped happily, gazing at Severus over his half-moon spectacles. He was beaming brightly, and his eyes were warm.

Severus remained silent, uncertain what to say. He walked closer to the portrait and conjured a chair, not feeling entirely comfortable sitting in Minerva's Headmistress chair.

"What is bothering you, Severus? You look upset," Dumbledore asked insightfully. He folded his hands together and gazed at Severus, still looking entirely unfazed and delighted. His unperturbed expression irritated Severus.

"I am not upset," Snape replied stubbornly. The word 'upset,' always seemed to imply weakness to Severus. Severus did not get upset, he got angry.

"Something is clearly bothering you," Dumbledore replied, unfazed. "Is there anything you would like to tell me?"

"How ironic. I am expected to tell you about things, but you rarely return the favor," Snape snarled.

"I don't believe I understand-" Dumbledore began before Snape quickly interrupted him.

"You never trusted me, Albus!" Snape snapped angrily. Dumbledore raised his eyebrow. "I still find out just how much you withheld from me. Even after your death, I learn that more and more was hidden from me."

"Severus, what exactly-"

"The stone, Albus! The Resurrection Stone! The stone that you trusted to Potter and Granger and Weasley, but not to me," he huffed angrily. He felt fire flow through him as he thought about Granger bringing up the stone, her confusion when she realized he didn't know anything about it. Snape felt like a fool, embarrassed that a child could be trusted with knowledge that Snape could not.

"You can trust three children, but you can't trust a man who has been loyal to you for roughly twenty years. Have I ever betrayed your trust? Do I not deserve your confidence?"

"Ah, the Resurrection Stone," Dumbledore replied softly. "You think that I trusted Harry where I did not trust you?"

"Clearly! You told Potter about the stone! Precious Potter knows everything," Severus rumbled, looking away from Dumbledore and staring out the window towards the Forbidden Forest.

"I trust both you and Harry without reservation," Albus said quietly, gazing steadily at Severus. Severus felt the familiar sensation that Dumbledore was gazing deep inside of him, that he saw and understood all there was to know about him. He found it infuriating.

"You say so, but it's Potter who you revealed everything to, not me," he replied bitterly.

"I did not tell Harry about the stone," Dumbledore said. Snape snorted in disbelief. "No, I did not tell Harry. I certainly did not reveal everything to him. I revealed all that I had to so that he could defeat Voldemort. But the stone, he found out about on his own. I only gave him the tools to learn about it."

"What tools?" Snape asked, angrily admitting that Dumbledore did not reveal _everything _to Potter. Dumbledore had always kept his cards close to his chest, only revealing a few as the game progressed. He certainly hadn't told Potter everything. Snape himself had been left to inform Potter that he had been an unintentional horcrux.

"Did your mother ever read you the _Tale of the Three Brothers_?"Dumbledore asked.

"What does that have to do with the stone?" Snape asked in confusion.

"Everything. Did she ever read it to you?" he repeated.

"I hardly think my father would have allowed her to read wizard's fairy tales to me," Severus replied gravely, thinking of how his father would have reacted had she ever tried. His father hated the wizarding world, and anything to do with it. Severus had grown up trying to hide his magic, and his mother had spent his childhood trying to keep his father from flying into one of his rages. She never would have dared to read The Tale of the Three Brothers to him. Snape had only heard of it when he heard that Dumbledore had bestowed the book onto Granger in his will.

"Ah, yes," Dumbledore responded quietly, "I had forgotten."

Severus shrugged. He had never cared for his father.

"_The Tale of the Three Brothers_ is actually the story of the three Peverell brothers, and how they created the Deathly Hallows," Dumbledore stated simply. "The Deathly Hallows; three immensely powerful magical objects, that, when joined together, are said to make the beholder the 'master of death.' The cloak, the Resurrection Stone, and the Elder wand."

Snape jolted as he recognized the name of the wand that Voldemort had been tirelessly hunting in the months leading up to his death. He had heard it been called many names, the Death Stick, the Ellhorn Wand, and the Wand of Destiny, but he had never heard that it was part of a trio, one that would render the yielder immortal.

"Yes, the Elder wand. The very wand that Voldemort searched for, ignorant of its history and significance," Dumbledore said with a small smile. "The Deathly Hallows present a rather formidable temptation, Severus, which is why I do not take revealing their existence lightly.

"I trust you have heard about the biography Miss Skeeter wrote about me?" Dumbledore asked hesitantly. His expression looked slightly worried, as if he were afraid the book may have affected Snape's opinion of him. No doubt the book was nasty and full of half truths that compromised Dumbledore's character and integrity.

"I have heard of it, but I did not read it," Snape responded. Dumbledore perked up instantly.

"You didn't?" he chirped in relief.

"Rita Skeeter is a vindictive and dim-witted woman. I don't care to read a word of anything she writes," Snape replied honestly, letting his voice drip with hostility. Skeeter had recently contacted him, hoping to write a biography about him. Snape had, quite harshly, turned her down.

"You are right in being cautious when it comes to her, though I fear she did find a few nuggets of truth concerning me," he said, shaking his head sadly. "If you had read it, you would have learned that I searched for the Deathly Hallows in my childhood. That I, myself had been blinded by their allure.

"It made me a worse person, my quest for the Hallows. I learned my lesson eventually, and I learned to understand their danger. That is why I did not tell you about them, Severus. I feared telling anyone about them, unless it was absolutely necessary. I hinted at the truth to Harry, and he responded better than I could ever have imagined. He was not tempted or torn from his good nature in the slightest. He used them as I had dreamed that he would, solely in order to save lives and bring about Voldemort's death."

Snape nodded slowly. He had heard whispers about Dumbledore's less than scandal-free past. He had read that Dumbledore and Grindewald had shared a past in Lily's letter that he had found in Sirius's house. He had paid little attention though. He had always had complete faith in Dumbledore's good character, and Snape knew better than most that past mistakes did not mean you could never change.

"I understand why you did not tell me," he said slowly, as he felt his anger sizzle away.

"How did you come to hear about the Resurrection Stone?" Dumbledore asked curiously, pushing his glasses further up his nose.

"I found Granger crawling around in the Forbidden Forest searching for it," Snape replied gravely, still irritated by Granger's cheek. Dumbledore's eyes grew wide.

"Hermione Granger? She is searching for the stone?" he asked seriously, gazing intently at Severus.

"Yes. There is no need to be so anxious. I don't believe Granger is the type to be tempted by immortality," Severus replied, confused by the obvious concern in Dumbledore's eyes. He did not know why Granger was searching for the stone, but he trusted that she did not harbor any sinister intentions.

"Do you remember when you stumbled across the Mirror of Erised, Severus?" Dumbledore asked quietly. Snape just nodded, used to Dumbledore's apparently random leaps from topic to topic. In his mind there was always a connection, though it was rarely obvious to anyone else.

"Do you remember how difficult it was to tear yourself away from it?" he asked quietly. Snape nodded solemnly. He had found the Mirror of Erised shortly after he had been employed by Dumbledore. Lily had just been murdered a few short months ago, and when he walked past the seemingly innocent mirror, he had frozen in his tracks. He saw Lily, beaming brightly and laughing, her green eyes sparkling warmly. She had waved happily at him, her expression oozing pure love and happiness. Snape had whirled around, his mind not functioning properly, expecting to see her standing behind him. When he realized she was not there, he had broken down, with huge, painful sobs wracking his body. He had remained there, just staring at the mirror with tears streaming down his face for hours, until Dumbledore found him and returned him to his room, warning him not to return.

"The Resurrection Stone has the power to bring back souls that have passed on," Dumbledore said gravely. Severus looked at him in disbelief. "They are not truly living, but their souls return, temporarily, to this world."

Severus found himself immediately thinking of being able to speak to Lily, truly speak to her once again. He could apologize, tell her how much he loved her, beg her forgiveness, tell her that all he had done, he had done for her. He could speak to his mother and apologize, and he could tell his father what he had never been able to say when he was alive.

"Clearly you understand the appeal that the stone holds. I don't believe that I am mistaken in thinking that Miss Granger would be particularly vulnerable at the moment. No doubt she is grieving for the loss of so many of her friends. I think she would be especially susceptible. Her heart would likely overpower her brain," Dumbledore spoke seriously, but Snape could not focus entirely. He realized that this was how Potter had spoken to his mother. He had assumed that he had spoken to her after he had died, in whatever form of afterlife existed, but he had been wrong. Potter had spoken to his mother while he was still alive, and if Potter could speak to her, surely Severus could also have one brief reunion.

"Severus," Dumbledore said sternly, no doubt realizing that Severus wasn't entirely paying attention. "Severus, I know what it is to be tempted by the stone. But it is better to leave the souls to rest. One encounter will never be enough, and lingering in the past will only lead to despair."

Snape's gaze found Dumbledore's, and he found his mind slowly quieting. The old man nodded understandingly.

"It is difficult to deny the ach and desire to see our loved ones again. But it is better to focus on the living rather than the dead," he said wisely. "This is why you need to keep a careful eye on Miss Granger."

Severus didn't reply, he instead gave Dumbledore an irritated glance.

"Make sure she does not go looking for the stone again. I am convinced that the Hallows are more trouble than they are worth," he said softly. "They are exactly the type of things that lead good people astray."

"I will watch the girl. Any more orders?" Snape replied sarcastically, feeling as if nothing had changed between he and the Headmaster. He still found himself going to Dumbledore for answers, ending up equal parts amused and frustrated, and inevitably leaving with some new task.

"Yes, one," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling. "Take care of Fawkes. Minerva informed me that he returned for you."

"He did. I wonder why that is?"

"Fawkes, being a phoenix, values loyalty and courage above all else. You must have shown immense loyalty for him to feel compelled to come to your side," Dumbledore said warmly. "He seems to have chosen you as his new companion. Notice I said companion, not owner. Fawkes was never a pet, nor I his master. A phoenix chooses a companion, as an equal, to aid and protect. He clearly holds you in high esteem," Dumbledore said. Severus found himself almost smiling.

"I am glad. He has already saved my life and has proven to be quite helpful," Severus replied, fondly thinking of the phoenix that was no doubt sleeping in his office at that very moment. The phoenix had reborn from the ashes shortly after taking the killing curse in the battle, and had grown back into his magnificent fully matured form. He had remained in Snape's office, only leaving occasionally to fly over the grounds. Snape found himself growing immensely fond of the bird. He often found himself unconsciously speaking to the bird in soft murmurs, stroking his feathers as he walked around the room.

"Good. Never underestimate the value of an animal's affections," Dumbledore said happily. Snape yawned.

"You are tired, Severus. Go to your chambers and retire for the night, but feel free to visit me anytime," Dumbledore said fondly, his eyes twinkling once again. "Perhaps you would like to have a frame mounted for me in your own room?" he joked happily.

"Lord, no. I can get little peace as it is," Severus replied dryly. Albus only chuckled merrily.

"Goodnight, my dear Severus," he called out as Snape walked out the office back down the revolving staircase.


	9. Chapter 9

Severus felt the days crawl by slowly. He stayed in his office, only leaving for meals and classes. Every night Severus kept his ears trained for the noise of Granger sneaking down the hallway, but the silence was never interrupted. She stayed in her apartment, though the end to her late night wanderings did not seem to solve her exhaustion. Whenever Snape caught a glimpse of her she only looked more worn out than before.

Classes continued, and Snape found that each class proved that the war had given the students a much more comprehensive knowledge of defensive spells. Weasley continued to be one of the most talented students in his seventh year class, with Greengrass a close second. He was shocked to find, however, that Granger began to fall behind. Her reactions grew slower and slower, and she rarely raised her hand or volunteered. Before class began she would sit with her head resting on her desk, unmoving and unspeaking until Snape split the class into pairs.

Weasley also seemed to have changed slightly. She joked less, and seemed much more focused, as if distractions were dangerous and painful. Occasionally she would laugh and then break off abruptly, her mouth automatically transforming into a frown. Snape assumed that the war had influenced all the students, but he had had paid little attention and couldn't detect such evident changes in the others.

Thursday morning, Severus woke up immediately thinking of Granger and the detention. He had ultimately decided to have her alphabetize his mass collection of books that were currently scattered throughout the shelves in his classroom. He imagined that Granger would hardly find that to be too harsh of a punishment.

At seven o' clock precisely, he heard the soft nock on his door. Granger stepped inside, and Snape was irritated to see that her skin was still sallow and her eyes still sunken in.

"Good evening, Professor," she said politely, stepping up to his desk.

"Miss Granger," Severus replied with a nod. "Tonight you will be organizing my bookshelves."

Snape couldn't help but chuckle slightly as he saw Granger's eyes immediately light up. She gazed over towards the bookshelves, her eyes sweeping over the massive piles of stray books.

"I imagined something much worse," she said with a small laugh. "I distinctly remember you once made Harry clean all the chamber pots without magic."

Snape gave a small smile, remembering the detention fondly. Potter had nearly gagged when Snape summoned all the chamber pots, and he had been scrubbing until late into the night. By the time Snape had reluctantly dismissed him, the stench was foul. Snape had laughed rather cruelly when he imagined the smell of chamber pots spreading throughout the Gryffindor common room, no doubt slightly decreasing Potter's popularity, at least for the night.

"Yes well, I figured I ought to take it easy on you, this being your first time, since apparently your previous detention didn't count," Snape replied with a small smirk. "You may begin, Miss Granger. Alphabetical order, if you please."

He pointed towards the shelves, and Granger immediately floated over, her eyes raking over the books appreciatively.

Snape sat down at his desk and pulled out a pile of essays. They were from his first year students, and he found himself struggling to pay attention. The topic was mind-numbingly simple, though the first years still seemed to struggle. Only a few were able to accurately describe the characteristics and features of a vampire, and even fewer were able to identify the correct ways to ward them off. He soon found his eyes slipping from the pages, instead settling on Granger as she sorted through the piles.

"I trust you have not resumed your search for the Resurrection Stone," Snape said, remembering Dumbledore's instructions. He set aside the paper for a moment and fixed his eyes on Granger. She tore her eyes away from the books and looked up at him.

"No sir, I haven't," she replied as she slid a book onto the shelf.

"Why were you searching for the stone?" Snape asked.

"I can't tell-"

"What use do you have with a stone that returns souls from the dead?" Snape interrupted.

Hermione's head shot up, and her eyes narrowed.

"How did you-?" she questioned him.

"I spoke to Dumbledore. His portrait, that is. You have concerned him. I have been instructed to make certain that you do not go looking for it again," Snape replied. Granger looked at the ground, appearing almost embarrassed.

"I won't go out again," she said quietly.

"It could pose a threat. Suppose you had found it. There are individuals who would kill for such items."

"I know I shouldn't have been looking for it. Harry would be furious if he knew. But I just had to try something," she said slowly as she distractedly pulled the book she had just placed on the shelf back off again. She glanced at the binding, and once again slid it back into its position.

"Were you hoping to use it?" Snape asked gravely.

"No! Not really. Not me. I was… I was going to… I was hoping to find it for Ron," she said finally. Snape scowled.

"Why does Weasley desire the stone?" he asked suspiciously. If any of the trio were likely to be tempted by a desire of power, it would be Weasley. The boy was not especially intelligent or influential, and he clearly struggled with insecurity. Severus could see Weasley taking drastic measures to gain fame.

"Ron doesn't even know I was looking for it," Granger replied sharply, correctly interpreting Snape's distrustful tone. "Ron has just…been really struggling, since the end of the war. He doesn't even seem to be healing at all. And George is the same way. I think they both feel too guilty to even think about allowing themselves to be happy. And I've just been so worried about him, and I feel so powerless, not being able to do anything to help. I know it wasn't right, but I just thought if they were able to see Fred, just once more…" Granger trailed off, fixing her eyes once more on the books in front of her.

"Oh, how noble," Snape said sarcastically. "But it is not for you to decide the fate of the stone. Better and clever minds have decided that it should remain hidden."

"I just… I understand," she said quietly.

"So is that the cause of your transformation?" Snape asked with a scowl. "You have spent your whole summer fretting over Weasley and neglecting your own health?"

"I didn't spend my whole summer 'fretting' over Ron," she said with a hint of annoyance. "Harry and I went to Australia and found my parents and I-"

"Ah, so Australia is where you hid your parents?" Snape interrupted her. Voldemort had asked in passing where the Miss Granger's parents were. He hoped to torture them until they revealed their daughter's whereabouts, but when the Death Eaters arrived at the house, they found that it had been abandoned. The Dark Lord had ultimately decided they were not important enough to pursue.

"Yes," Granger replied with a smirk. "I wanted to keep them safe so I wiped their memories and gave them an urge to travel the land down under."

Snape raised an eyebrow, impressed.

"That was clever of you. We went to your old house," Snape said, not thinking. He immediately regretted his words when he saw Granger's expression. It was one thing to know that your teacher was a Death Eater and a spy, but it was another thing to know that your teacher would have murdered your parents if he'd had the chance. Snape frowned and lapsed into silence.

He read through another essay, and scratched a red D in the upper left hand corner. He picked up another essay, but shortly found his mind wandering once again.

"You and Potter found your parents?" he asked.

"Yes…"

Snape wondered silently why Weasley had not joined her. He had thought the two were something of an item. Any fool could have detected Weasley's feelings towards Granger, though the boy had undoubtedly botched his attempts at wooing her at nearly every opportunity. He considered asking Granger, but he remained silent.

"Were you able to retrieve their memories?" he asked instead.

"Mostly. They've forgotten a few things. They didn't remember that I have a cat, or that we went on holiday in France a few years ago," she said, slipping a few more books onto the shelf. "The important things they remember."

The silence resumed for a few moments, and the only noises that could be heard where Snape's shuffling through the essays and the steady thump as Granger slipped the books onto the shelves.

"What did you do this summer, Professor?" Granger asked. Snape frowned at her, surprised by her question. Students had never concerned themselves with his life outside of teaching, and he was uncertain whether he should be annoyed by her inquiring after his personal life.

"I remained at the castle, helping with reconstruction," he replied shortly, his eyes slightly narrowed.

Granger nodded and yawned, rubbing at her eyes tiredly.

"Are you still suffering from nightmares?" Snape asked, studying her and feeling the slightest hint of concern.

"I, uh…I'm still not sleeping well, no," she replied hesitantly, refusing to look in his direction. She scooted down to the next row on the shelf.

"How long have they been troubling you?"

"I'm not sure. Since before the war ended," she said quietly. She mumbled something unintelligible and her face grew somewhat flushed. Snape frowned but did not inquire further.

"When you leave tonight you will take a potion for a dreamless sleep," he said firmly, not leaving her an option. She had allowed herself to continue to decline for too long, out of some foolish disinclination to take proper care of herself. Snape was tired of having her plague his thoughts. Snape waved his wand and summoned the potion from the cabinet, setting it on the desk in front of him.

"Sir, I don't need- I don't want to-" Granger began.

"You will drink half the potion tonight, and the next half at the beginning of next week. I will brew you the potion for as long as it takes for the dreams to subside completely," he stated, ignoring her weak protests.

"Really, you don't need to trouble yourself-"

"I will deliver the potion to your room each Monday night, and you will drink it at least an hour before you go to sleep. I will not accept 'no', Granger," he said with a scowl. She nodded reluctantly, offering a small smile.

"Thank you, Professor," she said quietly. Snape nodded, feeling a miniscule smile tug on his lips.

"Perhaps you could also begin eating well again also," he said with a hint of sarcasm as he looked over her small frame.

"I have been-" she began before he interrupted her.

"Do not lie to me. You haven't appeared well since you returned to the castle."

"I am just-"

"No, you are not. Are you aware that you are not at the top of the class, Granger? You are getting average grades. None of your essays have been ten pages too long, you are not frantically trying to outdo all the other students, and you are serving a detention… You are clearly unwell," he said seriously.

Granger laughed and smiled at him brightly.

"Harry and Ron would say that I am finally becoming normal," she said with a laugh. Snape rolled his eyes.

"I shudder to think what their definition of 'normal' is, and I daresay no one should aspire to achieve it," he said mockingly. "Besides, I believe you have frightened the other professors. Flitwick was terrified when he graded one of your essays and you only scraped by with an E."

"I didn't mean to worry you all," she said her eyes crinkling warmly. She yawned once more, but immediately tried to smother it.

"_I_ was not worried," Snape answered stubbornly. "I hardly let the antics of foolish, teenage girls trouble me. I am merely hoping to return to your previous state so that I do not have to suffer through another detention with you."

He forced himself to look away from her. He scowled and kept his eyes trained on the stack of papers before him, irritated at Granger's rather innocent insinuation that he had been worried about her. He reluctantly admitted that he had paid more attention to her than the other students, and he had felt slight concern about her health, but he did not _worry _about her. Snape did not worry for anyone.

"You won't have to suffer for much longer. I am nearly done," Granger said lightly, slipping another row of books onto the shelf. Snape frowned and glanced at the time. It had only been forty five minutes. Other students would have taken hours to alphabetize his collection, though he wasn't positive that some of his students even knew the alphabet. He remembered a particular detention where Mr. Goyle had misspelled his own name.

Snape could not shake his feeling of uneasiness. Granger, being rather cleverer than the imbeciles he was accustomed to teaching, must have noticed that he had been paying slightly more attention to her, but she had clearly overestimated his regard. She was friendly with most of the staff, and she probably assumed that she and Snape would develop a similar rapport. Snape had accidentally forgotten himself and had not controlled his actions as he should have, and now Granger's imagination had run wild. Snape recoiled against the very idea that he cared one iota for Granger.

"When you have finished you are dismissed," he said distantly, trying to emphasize how little attention he paid her. He read over another essay, one void of almost any details. He carved an 'A' in the corner and jotted a few notes to the students.

He heard Granger continue to slide books onto the shelves, quietly reading off the author's names. After a few minutes he heard her stand up and walk towards him. He refused to lift his eyes from the paper until she was standing in front of him.

"Finished," Granger said with a smile which Snape did not return.

"Take your potion," he said without emotion, flicking his quill towards the small bottle. Granger picked it up slowly, slipping it into her robe pocket.

"Take it this evening, and on Monday. You may leave," he said. She turned away from him and quietly exited the room.


	10. Chapter 10

The weeks slipped by quickly and Snape felt himself immerse himself entirely into a routine. He found that each day offered little distinction from the rest, and he found himself walking with a permanent scowl on his face. He felt entirely useless. He did not miss his role as double agent and spy, but he had at least been useful. He had despised the evil he had been forced to partake in, but merely spending his days preparing for and teaching classes seemed mind-numbingly mundane.

He did notice a marked improvement in Granger as the weeks passed. Almost immediately the heavy bags underneath her eyes vanished, and she slowly began to resume her know-it-all status. Her hand resumed its natural position, waving frantically through the air, and he was happy to see that the other students once again began rolling their eyes at her over-eagerness.

Snape also made a concentrated effort to appear entirely indifferent towards her. He had decided that their brief moment during the battle, followed by their encounters and his insistence that she take a sleeping tonic had convinced her that he cared about her, which he did not. He adopted a new strategy of silence and occasional sarcasm.

Snape would call on her, making sure to roll his eyes with disdain each time, and she would breathlessly answer in her word-for-word textbook answers. Occasionally, Snape would award her a few points, but he made sure he sighed with evident irritation. Snape thought he glimpsed moments where she would falter momentarily, as if she were slightly offended, but the moments flickered by, and she would quickly delve into her notes once agin.

He continued to deliver her sleep potions to her apartment each week, an event he tried to keep as brief as possible. Each week she swung the door open wide and smiled at him brightly. He remained in the hallway, merely shoving the potion towards her and quickly retreating back down the hall into his office. He noted with grim satisfaction that he had barely spoken a dozen words to her since she had served her detention. He was convinced that he now treated her as he did all of his other students; with cold indifference.

The only change from his normal routine came one Monday evening. Severus had just finished his last class of the day and was returning to his apartment when he returned to find his door already ajar. Instinctively, he drew his wand and stepped into the room silently, his eyes sweeping over the room.

His eyes immediately fell on Filch and Minerva, each huddled over some item in Filch's arms.

"Excuse me," Severus drawled as he drew up behind them. "I was unaware that you had scheduled a visit. How rude of me. I was not here to welcome you."

"Hello Severus," Minerva said without a trace of an apology. She completely ignored his apparent irritation and sarcasm. "We are delivering Dumbledore's frame."

Filch turned around, revealing a large wooden frame in his arms. Dumbledore's face peered out of it, smiling at him brightly.

"Hello, Severus!" he beamed.

Snape stared at the portrait blankly.

"On the wall, just there, Argus," Minerva said, pointing directly behind Snape's desk.

"What do you think you are doing?" Snape asked, glaring at Dumbledore's happy expression.

"What does it look like, Severus?" McGonagall snapped impatiently. "We are hanging the frame."

"But why are you hanging the frame? He should not be moved from your office," Snape said with a scowl. Minerva sighed.

"Dumbledore had multiple frames commissioned. He will also remain in the Head's office," Minerva replied with evident vexation

"I enjoy a bit of travel," Dumbledore chirped happily, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

"I did not ask for his portrait to be hanged in my office," Snape snapped. "Did you just assume that I wished for him to be hanging over my shoulder at every moment?"

"Really, Severus. You shared an office with his portrait last year; there is no reason to throw a tantrum. He will also be hung in other locations. The Ministry of Magic has requested a frame. Saint Mungo's as well. The Minister himself has requested a frame for his personal office," Minerva rattled away, as Filch jerkily raised the frame, hanging it on nails that McGonagall had magiced into the stone wall.

"But only I was lucky enough to be saved the task of requesting his presence. Only I had him graciously delivered to my office without my prior knowledge or acceptance," Snape retorted. Dumbledore did not seem to be offended my Snape's angry outburst. If anything he seemed to be struggling to contain laughter.

"He requested it," Minerva replied simply. "He enjoys speaking with you, and you did not return to visit him. Now you do not have to come all the way to my office."

"I did not mind the distance. When I wish to speak to him I will. You cannot just force things onto me," Snape continued to seethe, though Minerva paid him no attention.

"It's a little crooked. Tilt it a bit to the left," she said, ignoring Snape's protests. Filch nodded and tilted the frame slightly.

"Have I no say in this matter?" Snape snapped in frustration. Minerva did not even glance in his direction.

"No. That seems level now, Argus. Come; let me show you that statue that I spoke about earlier, the one that shouts out insults as students pass by. It is probably just Peeves hiding behind it, but it's best to be sure."

Minerva strolled out of his office without a backwards glance and Filch lurched out behind her.

As soon as they were out the door, Snape quickly strolled over to the frame, angrily trying to tear it from the wall. The portrait refused to budge an inch.

"Minerva anticipated that one," Dumbledore said happily, resting his chin on this clasped hands. He smiled brightly as Snape scowled.

"I didn't imagine you would actually get a frame mounted in my room," Snape said to Dumbledore with a glare. Dumbledore just laughed.

"Don't belittle yourself, Severus. I greatly enjoy your company," Dumbledore replied, his eyes twinkling.

"I was not belittling myself. I was overestimating your respect for my privacy," he replied shortly.

"If I was disrespecting your privacy, I would have arranged for them to hang me in your apartment. They hung me in your office. How much privacy does one man need?" Dumbledore said happily. Snape rolled his eyes once more.

Choosing to ignore his unwelcome new resident, he stomped across the office into his cupboard, pulling out Granger's sleep tonic. He slipped it into his robe pocket and crossed the room, heading towards the door.

"Shall I just hang here, then, Severus?" Dumbledore's voice called out to him. Severus remained silent and slammed the door shut behind him. He heard Dumbledore's muffled laugh following him as he strode down the hall towards Granger's apartment.

He knocked brusquely on her closed door. He heard the quite thud of a book being closed, and her feet pat gently against the floor as she walked towards the door. The door swung open and Snape stepped inside without thinking.

Granger stepped back a few steps at Snape's sudden entrance. He scowled and fished the potion out of his pocket, thrusting it towards her.

"Here," he snapped. Granger's brows furrowed and she gazed up at him quizzically.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Snape looked down at her and scowled, remaining silent. He instead glanced around her room. The layout was similar to his own, but the overall appearance was much different.

Her sitting room looked like a rather well stocked library. Large bookshelves lined an entire wall, and each shelf was filled to the top with books. A rather comfortable looking armchair was placed in the corner, with a standing lamp setting next to it. A small table was situated next to the chair, and Snape was not surprised to see a small pile of books sitting on it. A slightly ajar door was set in the wall across from the shelved wall, which Snape assumed led to her chambers.

"Professor, are you all right?" Granger repeated, looking at him with a look of confusion on her face.

"I am fine, I have merely had an unwelcome presence forced upon me," he said curtly.

"I can relate," Granger quipped with a small smirk. Snape swung his head and shot her an angry look. He turned on his heels to leave when he felt her grab at his sleeve. He looked down at her hand, his expression fierce.

"No, I was just joking," Granger said hastily, trying to hide her small smile. Snape remained silent but continued to glare at her angrily. She immediately wiped the smirk off her face.

"Sorry. What presence has been forced on you?" she asked politely, releasing her hold on his sleeve. Snape's severe expression slipped slightly.

"Dumbledore's," he answered reluctantly. Granger tilted her head, looking at him with a puzzled expression. "He's had his portrait hung in my office," Snape explained.

"Ah. I take it you did not want him?"

"How very astute of you, Granger," Snape snapped at her. She just smiled. He sighed. "They did not ask my permission. I shouldn't be surprised. He has never asked my opinion or waited for my consent before."

"I understand," Granger said, with a discerning look on her face. "But it is just a portrait. And from what Phineas Nigellus told me, they enjoy being able to travel through their portraits. Phineas apparently often enjoyed using his portrait at the Ministry to spy on the interns. Just indulge him."

"Ah Phineas. He certainly enjoys listening in on conversations. He was always eager to spy on you last year. I've never seen him happier," Snape replied, his mouth twitching as he imagined Phineas terrorizing the unsuspecting interns.

"He must be very unhappy now. A Gryffindor is once again the Head, and Harry is in Grimmauld Place. I don't imagine he is pleased," she said, smiling brightly. Snape reluctantly laughed.

"I would choose Phineas over Sirius's horrid mother," he replied, recalling how her shrieks had reverberating off the walls during order meetings.

"Yes, Harry still hasn't found a way to remove her portrait," she replied. Snape smiled slightly, hoping that the old lady was just as loud and shrill as he remembered.

"I am glad to hear it," he replied. Granger laughed brightly.

A moment of awkward silence took over as Severus realized that he was being entirely too sociable.

"Thanks again, for the potion, sir," Granger said, gesturing to the potion in her hand.

"…You're welcome, Miss Granger," he said hesitantly, knowing that his unfriendly approach was crumbling beneath him.

He gave her the faintest hint of a smile and strolled out the door.


	11. Chapter 11

Severus strolled through his office door and glanced at Dumbledore's portrait. The old Headmaster appeared to be sleeping, but Severus knew better than to trust the ruse.

"I know you are awake, Albus," he said, pulling the office door shut behind him.

Dumbledore immediately opened his eyes.

"Oh, hello there, Severus! Back so soon?" he asked happily, smiling brightly.

"I was just delivering the potion to Miss Granger," Snape said with a scowl. Reluctantly, he admitted that Granger had reduced his anger. His mood had marginally improved, but he refused to reveal that to Dumbledore. The Headmaster rarely felt any guilt for his actions, and if Severus did not maintain his anger, Dumbledore would immediately assume he had done nothing wrong.

"What potion?" he asked, raising a thin brow.

"For a dreamless sleep. She had been suffering from nightmares," Snape said turning his back to the Headmaster.

"I'm surprised at you, Severus. I had to twist your arm for weeks to get you to brew the Wolfsbane potion for Remus, but you voluntarily brew this potion for Granger…"

"It is a simple potion, Albus," Snape snapped, turning back to face Dumbledore.

"I don't doubt it. I'm merely surprised you volunteered your services. Especially to a student!"

Snape remained silent, glaring at the Dumbledore.

"Do not look so distressed, Severus. I am proud of you. It is good to care about your students," he said with a smile, his eyes twinkling. Severus rolled his eyes and tried to ignore him.

"She is quite like Lily, actually," Dumbledore said thoughtfully. Snape narrowed his eyes angrily.

"Do not compare her to Lily," he snarled angrily. Comparing Granger to Lily seemed entirely wrong. The two could not be mixed in his mind. The woman he loved and the best friend of her son. It was ridiculous to compare them. He shook his head angrily, trying to force the thought out of his mind.

"They are both remarkably bright. And Hermione shares Lily's strength and kindness," Dumbledore continued. "It's not unreasonable for you to care about Miss Granger."

Snape snarled angrily and stomped across the room to the door leading to his apartment, slamming it shut behind him.

X

Snape awoke early the next morning and crept quietly out of his office, hoping to avoid an encounter with Dumbledore. As he sneaked past, he glanced at the portrait, and noticed it was empty. Snape smiled and stood up straighter before he exited the office and stepped into the hallway.

"Hello professor," Granger chirped from down the hallway. She walked to his side and smiled up at him.

"Miss Granger," Snape acknowledged her. "You are up early. Did you not sleep well?"

"I've been sleeping fine ever since I've been taking your potions. I'm just excited. I'm expecting a letter today," she said, smiling to herself. Snape looked at her quizzically.

"I am glad you are sleeping well," he said. She beamed up at him, and suddenly it struck Severus how similar Granger's smile was to Lily's. The image rushed over him, and for a moment he felt a surge of affection. He quickly swept the thought away, blaming it entirely on his conversation with Albus the night before.

"Are you going to Hogsmeade this weekend?" Granger asked, looking up at him. Snape glanced down at her.

"I hadn't thought about it. I suppose I may," he replied. He had actually forgotten entirely about the Hogsmeade trip that had been arranged for that weekend. Teachers could venture into the village whenever they chose to, and Snape rarely went. However for some reason he decided that a trip to Hogsmeade sounded rather pleasant.

"I invited Harry and Ron to come and meet up with me," Hermione said with a smile. Snape immediately changed his mind. A trip to Hogsmeade sounded entirely horrible.

"Oh how lovely. A reunion. I will alert the papers," Snape said dryly. Granger only smiled brightly, apparently amused. Once again Snape found himself comparing her to Lily. Lily had always enjoyed his sarcasm. She had understood his sense of humor.

"Is the letter you are so eagerly anticipating from Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley?" Snape asked impulsively.

"Harry owled me back yesterday. I'm still waiting to hear from Ron," she said, her smile faltering slightly.

"I see," Snape said gravely, irrationally irritated that his question seemed to have dampened her mood.

The two of them climbed the stairs from the dungeon in silence, entering the Entrance Hall together. The castle was still empty, with only a few ghosts floating about. As they approached the Great Hall, Snape held the large wooden door open, gesturing for Granger to go through.

"After you," he muttered. Granger smiled brightly up at him, and he smirked slightly.

She walked past him, and then waited for a moment for him to catch up. They walked down the center of the Great Hall. Snape fidgeted with his collar uncomfortably, aware of his colleagues already seated at the table watching them. Horace was beaming at the pair of them, and Minerva seemed to be hinting at a smile.

"Enjoy your breakfast, Miss Granger," Snape said quietly, glancing at her briefly before he took his seat at the Staff table.

"You too, sir!" she replied happily, sauntering over towards the Gryffindor table. Snape watched her for a moment, thinking of all the times he had watched Lily walk away from him towards that table. He forced himself to shove those thoughts out of his mind once again. He silently cursed Dumbledore once more, and took his seat at the Staff Table.

"Morning Severus," Minerva greeted him as he sat down. "How is Miss Granger?"

"I assume she is fine," he said indifferently, shooting McGonagall a questioning look. She merely smiled. Severus scowled, immediately assuming that Dumbledore had spoken to her, once again disregarding Snape's privacy.

He fixed his eyes on his plate, refusing to join in on any of the conversations around him. Eventually the students began to steadily enter the Hall, and the steady hum of noise rose around them.

Before long the owls began swooping down, searching for their owners. He found himself looking over at Granger. Her eyes were fixed on a familiar tiny owl that was darting towards her, her eyes bright and filled with anticipation. Snape continued to watch her as the owl landed in front of her, and she took the letter from its outstretched talons. He continued to watch her as her eyes swept over the letter, and he continued to watch her as her expression fell. Her expression morphed into one of heartbreak and disappointment, and she stood from the table, and lurched down the aisles towards the doors. As she raced down the table, Snape noticed her and Ginny Weasley's eyes meet. Weasley looked uncomfortable, and she immediately looked down, fixing her eyes on the table in front of her. Granger only sped up, exiting the Great Hall at a near sprint.

Without thinking, Snape found himself standing up and walking away from the Staff table. He found his feet walking towards a side door, and he quickly strolled through the hidden passageways, opening a door into the Entrance Hall. He saw Granger racing across the hall towards the stairs to the dungeon, the letter still clutched in her hand. Snape rushed after her, his mind still refusing to function.

He raced down the steps and followed Granger down the hall. She tore the door to her apartment open, immediately disappearing behind it. Still without a thought about his actions, Snape followed her, without knocking or asking permission. He entered her room, and she turned to face him, a look of surprise on her face. There were no tears racing down her cheeks, but her eyes were red and watery, as if she were fighting hard to contain them. She continued to stare at him, looking equal parts confused and distraught.

"Er, Miss Granger," he began hesitantly, his mind suddenly kicking into gear again. He found himself thinking how entirely inappropriate the situation was. He had run after her, he had burst into her room without permission, and now he continued to stand in front of her, looking very much like a fool.

"I just saw that you received Weasley's letter…You seemed unhappy," he said lamely. Once again Lily's face popped into his mind. He remembered how she had used to receive cruel letters from her horrid sister. She had always been heartbroken and would cry on Severus's shoulders for hours, refusing to listen to Snape's assurances that her sister was wretched and worthless.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay…" he said quietly, forcing the image of Lily out of his mind. Granger stood before him, wobbling slightly. Suddenly she lurched forward, launching herself into his arms. A great shudder wracked though her body, and she gasped in a shaky breath.


End file.
